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Vol.  I.  POCKET  EDITION.  No.  3. 


(lie  Stars  and  Bars ; 


OR, 


A  WEARING  OF  THE  GRAY, 


A     THRILLING    STORY    OF    TENNESSEE. 


BY    MON    MYRTLE. 


NEW  YORK. 
NOVELIST  PUBLISHING  CO., 

Nos.  18  and  20  Rose  Street, 
1883. 


Copyrighted  1883,  by  The  Novelist  Publishing  Co. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   MIDNIGHT   ATTACK. 

"One  word  of  remonstrance  from  you,  sir,  and  you  die  I" 

The  above  startling  sentence  was  utiered  in  a  thrilling,  impres- 
sive manner  by  a  fierce-looking  man,  attired  in  the  faded  uniform 
of  a  Confederate  officer. 

This  man  was  Captain  Halroy,  who,  at  the  head  of  a  small  party 
of  Tennesseans,  had  just  made  a  midnight  attack  upon  the  cabin 
of  Fred  Meirigold,  a  young  man  noted  for  his  avowed  Union  prin- 
ciples, whom  it  was  their  determination  to  force  into  the  rebel 
ranks. 

He  had  until  recently  lived  in  the  village  of  Glenwood,  near  the 
Kentucky  river,  but  when  his  sentiments  became  known,  they 
evoked  the  displeasure  of  the  intensely  Southern  element  which 
there  prevailed,  and  as  a  result,  he  was  obliged  to  flee  to  the 
mountains. 

Taken  thus  suddenly  and  at  a  great  disadvantage,  the  young 
Unionist,  quite  bewildered  and  unable  to  offer  any  adequate  resist- 
ance, said  nothing,  but  allowed  himself  to  be  dragged  rudely  away 
from  his  humble  retreat. 

Captain  Halroy  chuckled  exultantly  as  he  conducted  his  discom- 
fited prisoner  up  before  the  commanding  officer  at  headquarters. 

"  What  have  you  here,  captain?"  queried  the  colonel,  as  Merri- 
gold  was  brought  before  him. 

"  A  Yankee  sympathizer,  colonel ;  I  thought  we  might  find  use 
for  him  in  our  cavalry  company,  and  as  we  need  every  able-bodi"d 
man  available,  we  just  caught  him  to-night  and  brought  him  in  as 
a  recruit." 

"  Very  good ;  assign  him  to  Company  B,  and  see  that  he  is  put 
through  hi3  paces  in  good  shape." 

"All  right,  sir;"  and  with  the  usual  military  salute,  Halroy 
turned  and  brought  Fred  Merrigold  to  that  section  of  the  camp 
occupied  by  the  company  above  referred  to,  which  happened  to 


i  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

be  a  section  of  what  was  subsequently  kuow  as  Forrest's  cavalry, 

which  by  its  daring  deeds,  won  distinction  and  renown  in  the  Con- 
federate service  in  many  a  perilous  campaign. 

Fred  Merrigold  was  duly  mustered  in,  and  coolly  informed  that 
any  attempt  on  his  part  to  desert  his  command,  would  result  in 
certain  death. 

Thus  admonished,  and  finding  escape  impossible,  it  is  little  won- 
der that  he  gradually  became  accustomed  to  his  new  life,  and  soon 
began  to  think  and  act  as  though  heart  and  hand  in  the  service  of 
the  stars  and  bars. 

This,  however,  was  not  the  case;  but  while  appearing  to  take 
great  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Confederacy,  he  was  ever  on 
the  alert  to  devise  means  of  escaping  from  the  rebel  ranks. 

Fred  Merrigold  became  a  great  favorite  with  the  men,  and 
eventually  quite  a  confidant  of  the  officers. 

He  proved  himself  trustworthy  on  all  occasions,  and  was  looked 
upon  as  the  best  courier  in  the  cavalry. 

This  being  the  case,  the  young  man,  with  great  courage  and  re- 
markable nerve  decided  that  he  could  really  be  of  indispensible 
service  to  the  Union  while  in  the  rebel  ranks,  and  concluded  to  re- 
main there  as  a  spy  as  long  as  the  nature  of  the  information  at 
his  command  would  render  it  advisable  to  do  so. 

"Who  said  Fred  Merrigold  was  a  Yankee  sympathizer?"  asked 
Dick  Dalton,  a  Georgiau,  indignantly;  "the  man  as  said  that, air  a 
whipped  cur,  hang  him  !  Their  ain't  no  more  true  Confedrit  on 
this  continent  of  Araeriky  than  Merrigold!"  he  added  enthusias- 
tically. 

In  this  opinion  one  and  all  of  Company  B  fully  concurred. 

In  order  to  strengthen  this  favorable  impression,  Fred  was  in- 
fatigable  in  his  efforts  to  organize  the  company  of  which  h6  had 
been  promoted  to  sergeant,  and  prepare  it  for  the  exigencies  of 
the  coming  campaign. 

In  the  'ourse  of  a  week  Colonel  Forrest,  who  was  in  command, 
moved  the  cavalry  about  twenty-five  miles  in  the  direction  of 
Charlotte,  Dixon  county,  Tennessee,  and  there  encamped.  His 
troops  had  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  defence  of  Fort  Donel- 
son,  and  the  losses  there  sustained  rendered  it  essentially  necessary 
to  secure  some  quiet  spot  in  a  populous  section  and  there  recruit. 

It  was  with  this  purpose  in  view  that  they  sought  the  mountains 
of  Kentucky  where  they  felt  certain  of  securing  vast  accessions 
from  the  adventurous  inhabitants  of  that  region,  and  it  was  there, 
as  we  have  seen,  that  they  effected  the  capture  of  our  friend,  Fred 
Merrigold. 

At  Charlotte  they  received  the  astounding  intelligence  that 
Nashville  was  assuredly  in  the  possession  of  the  Federals,  and  that 
they  were  sending  out  "  clouds  of  cavalry  "  to  sweep  the  surround- 
ing country  and  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  Confederates. 

In  consequence  of   the  evacuation  of  Bowling  Green  and  the 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS.  5 

series  of  successive  disasters  at  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson,  the  ut- 
most consternation  prevailed  throughout  the  whole  region  trav- 
ersed. 

The  roads  were  alive  with  invalid  and  furloughed  soldiers  or  de- 
serters, all  hurrying  southward  to  avoid  capture. 

This  panic  was  not  confined  entirely  to  the  chivalry,  but  extend- 
ed its  alarm  among  the  civilians  and  non-combatants,  many  of 
whom  deserted  and  fled  from  their  homes  in  wild  disorder.  The 
result  was,  the  constant  stream  of  fugitives  stimulated  a  great  de- 
gree of  apprehension  among  the  populace  of  the  country  through 
which  they  passed,  until  they,  too,  added  their  presence  to  the 
constantly  increasing  throng. 

Forrest's  cavalry  following  shortly  afterwards,  came  upon  the 
houses  and  cabins  left  in  haste  by  these  alarmed  people,  and  col- 
lected enough  provisions  and  supplies  abandoned  by  them  to  re- 
gale the  battle-scorched  troopers  in  good  shape  for  a  week  at  least. 
After  this  agreeable  incident,  Forrest,  moving  on,  halted  for  the 
night  at  about  twenty  miles  from  Nashville  on  the  Harpeth  river, 
where  food  and  forage  were  liberally  supplied  by  a  gentleman 
most  zealous  in  his  devotion  to  the  Confederate  cause,  and  in 
whose  house  a  sumptuous  supper  was  laid  for  the  colonel  and 
officers. 

The  next  morning  Forrest  dispatched  several  scouts  under  com- 
mand of  Fred  Merrigold,  who  was  already  renowned  for  his  in- 
trepid fearlessness,  and  known  by  the  soubriquet  of  •'  Fred,  the 
Fearless,' toward  Nashville  in  order  to  ascertain  if  that  city  was 
really  held  by  the  Federals. 

They  returned  with  the  pleasant  intelligence  that  such  was  not 
the  case,  whereupon  Forrest  moved  his  whole  force  quickly  for- 
ward, and,  entering  the  city,  proceed  to  report  to  General  Albert 
Siduey  Johnson,  who  referred  him  to  General  Floyd,  under  whose 
directions  Forrest  distributed  his  force  about  the  city  to  act  as  a 
patrol,  in  which  capacity  they  rendered  effective  service. 

CHAPTER    II. 

BIRDS   OF   A   FEATHER. 

Located  on  the  banks  of  the  muddy  Muskingum  is  the  thriving 
little  towu  of  Norwood. 

It  was  a  charming  summer  evening,  and  upon  the  left  bank  of 
the  murmuring  stream  was  assembled  as  merry  a  party  of  youths 
and  maidens  as  ever  made  woods  resound  with  their  joyous  shouts 
and  noisy  prattle.  The  occasion  was  an  auspicious  one,  being 
nothing  less  than  a  lawn  part}-  which  Squire  Elverton,  the  richest 
man  in  the  vicinity,  was  giving  as  a  complimentary  reception  to 
his  niece  Edith,  who  had  just  graduated  at  famous  female  educa- 
tional institute  at  a  distant  city. 

The  scene  was  a  gorgeous   one.    The   extensive   grounds   were 


f 


b  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

brilliantly  illuminated  by  fantastic  Chinese  lanterns,  and,  as  we 
have  already  observed,  the  assembled  guests  constituted  a  merry 
party. 

Among  those  present  was  Frank  Faulkner,  a  worthy  young  gen- 
tleman of  Norwood,  and  a  law  student  of  remarkable  promise. 

His  father  was  a  wealthy  farmer,  and  known  all  over  the  com- 
munity for  his  tight-fisted,  money-getting  propensities. 

Frank  was  a  tall  and  remarkably  fine  looking  youth  of  perhaps 
twenty-four. 

His  face,  although  dark,  was  ever  radiant  with  good  humor,  and 
wore  an  unusually  intelligent  expression.  His  eyes  were  dark  blue, 
rather  large,  but  keen  and  piercing;  his  mouth  also  was  a  little 
too  large  to  conform  to  a  strict  idea  of  beauty,  but  a  silken  mus- 
tache of  dark  brown  served  in  a  measure  to  conceal  the  defects  of 
that  organ. 

He  was  always  fashionably  attired  in  a  neat  and  stylish  manner 
—never  loud  or  flashy. 

Squire  Elverton  had  long  regarded  him  as  an  eligible  young  man 
for  the  hand  of  his  niece,  who  was,  indeed,  a  lovely  girl,  and  had 
resolved  to  eive  this  brilliant  reception  for  the  purpose  of  bring- 
ing the  young  people  together. 

Accordingly,  in  due  form,  our  friend,  Frank  Faulkner,  was  in- 
troduced to  Miss  Edith  Elverton. 

She  was  a  tall,  genteel  and  handsome  girl,  possessed  of  beautiful 
hazel  eyes,  large  and  ingenuous  of  expression,  and  delicately 
fringed  with  long,  silken  lashes.  Grecian  nose,  cherry  lips,  cheeks 
well  rounded,  and  flushed  like  damask  roses ;  a  clear  skin,  soft  as 
satin  ;  and  long,  dark  hair,  whieh  fell  in  a  rich,  wavy  mass  over  her 
beautiful,  arching  shoulders,  being  confined  by  a  simple  bow  of 
blue  ribbon. 

Edith  Elverton  was,  moreover,  possessed  of  those  indispensible 
attributes  of  beauty  which  are  so  much  admired— elegant  manners, 
graceful  carriage,  rare  conversational  powers,  a  cultured  mind, 
and  good  common  sense. 

Since  her  return  from  boarding-school  she  was  accorded  the 
palm,  that  is,  considered  the  prettiest  and  nicest  girl  in  Norwood, 
and  was,  in  brief,  the  reigning  belle. 

Frank  was  no  sooner  introduced  to  her  than  he  became  enrapt- 
ured with  her  rare  charms,  and  during  the  rest  or  the  evening's 
entertainment  devoted  his  best  attentions  to  her. 

They  glided  about  together  in  the  mazes  of  the  waltz,  and  anon 
sauntered  down  the  cool,  delicious  paths  among  trees  and  heather, 
to  the  river  side,  indulging  in  pleasant,  sentimental,  or  romantio 
prattle  as  they  proceeded. 

Frank  felt  that  he  had  met  his  fate,  and  for  several  weeks  subse- 
quent was  her  devoted  lover. 

But  a  cloud  was,  alas,  destined  to  come  between  them. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  7 

It  was  the  old,  old  story  of  the  loving  and  trusting  swain,  and 
the  fickle  goddess  of  flirtation. 

Our  hero  at  length  found,  or  fancied  he  found,  himself  com- 
pletely supplanted  in  her  affections  by  Renwood  Reinhart,  a  fash- 
ionable young  gentleman  of  the  sporting  fraternity,  who  was  the 
sou  of  a  wealthy  Louisville  banker,  and  spent  most  of  his  time  at 
Norwood,  where  he  practiced  civil  engineering,  and  occasionally, 
when  business  was  dull,  gambling. 

This  dashing  young  man  was  possessed  of  remarkably  attractive 
manners,  had  an  incessant  flow  of  rapturous  poetry  at  his  com- 
mand, was  exceedingly  gallant,  and  strikingly  handsome. 

He  found  it  an  easy  matter  to  gain  the  acquaintance  of  Edith 
Elverton,  but  an  entirely  different  affair  to  win  her  over  from 
Frank  Faulkner. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  month  of  August,  1861,  when 
the  thunders  of  partizau  guns  already  swept  over  the  great  re- 
public. 

One  evening  as  Ren  Reinhart,  with  Edith  leaning  gracefully  upon 
his  arm  was  strolling  through  the  main  street  of  Norwood  their 
attention  was  attracted  by  a  crowd  assembled  upon  the  green 
many  of  the  men  constituting  which  carried  torches. 

They  learned  upon  inquiry  that  a  company  was  being  recruited 
for  the  —  Ohio  light  battery. 

While  they  were  looking  with  interest  upon  the  proceedings, 
and  listening  to  the  spirited  strains  of  the  brass  band,  Frank  Faulk- 
ner, himself  unobserved,  managed  to  approach  near  enough  to  see 
the  idol  of  his  heart  conversing  so  pleasantly  with  his  rival. 

"We  want  a  captain  for  this  company.  Whom  shall  it  be?" 
cried  one  of  the  men. 

u  Ren  Reinhart!"  exclaimed  a  voice,  as  the  speaker  descried  the 
commanding  figure  of  the  popular  sporting  man. 

"Yes"— "Yes"— "Yes"— echoed  the  exclamations  of  approval, 
for  Ren  was  a  special  favorite  with  the  boys  about  town. 

Thus  appealed  to,  and  hardly  knowing  what  to  do,  or  how  to 
refuse,  Reinhart  advanced  an  argument  embodying  his  excuses, 
but  the  cries  instantly  arose  with  renewed  vigor,  and  his  enthusi- 
asm, aroused  to  the  highest  pitch  by  the  popular  demand,  he  broke 
away  from  the  gentle,  restraining  hand  of  Edith,  pushed  through 
the  crowd,  placed  his  name  in  a  bold  scrawl  at  the  head  of  the  re- 
cruiting list,  and  grasped  the  hands  of  his  boon  companions,  who 
were  eager  to  congratulate  him,  amid  rousing  cheers. 

He  was  indeed  a  hero,  he  thought,  as  he  rejoined  Edith,  and 
escorted  her  to  her  uncle's  mansion. 

Although  she  evidently  felt  much  distress  at  his  action,  Edith 
did  not  rebuke  him,  but  listened  to  his  tale  of  the  valor  he  would 
display  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  expressed  a  sincere  hope  for  his 
safety. 

The  following  evening,  Reinhart  was  seated  in  the  reading-room 


8  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

of  the  Crescent  House,  with  his  feet  planted  comfortably  upon  the 
window  sill,  and  engaged  in  smoking  a  cigar,  reflectively. 

He  was  shortly  aroused  from  his  musings,  however,  by  the  en- 
trance of  a  particular  chum.  Art  Arnold,  by  name. 

"  I  say,  Captain  Reinhart,  you  have  made  a  deuced  fool  of  your- 
self!" 

"How  so?"  queried  Reinhart,  looking  up,  evidently  quite  sur- 
prised. 

"By  enlisting,  of  course." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you.    Please  be  more  explicit." 

"  Well,  just  before  I  came  in  here  I  happened  to  see  Frank  Faulk- 
ner, accompanied  by  the  fair  Edith,  drive  down  the  pike  in  a 
phaeton." 

Ren  uttered  an  oath,  and  observed  : 

"  I  see  the  point.  That  young  lawyer  is  determined  to  carry  off 
the  prize,  and  I  am  equally  determined  he  shall  not.  I  wish  I  could 
devise  a  means  of  getting  the  best  of  him." 

"Well,  why  not?"  what  would  you  give  to  have  him  removed 
from  your  path?" 

"  A  good  deal." 

"How  much?" 

"  Five  hundred  dollars." 

"Make  it  a  thousand,  and  I'm  your  man." 

"  Very  well ;  since  you  suggest  it,  an  idea  occurs  to  me.  Come, 
we  will  go  up  to  my  rooms,  where  we  can  arrange  matters  satis- 
factorily.   But  mind,  I  don't  want  him  killed." 

The  two  worthies  proceeded  to  Reinhart's  spacious  apartments 
on  the  second  floor,  where  they  were  soon  securely  closeted,  and 
engaged  in  plotting. 

"You  have  enlisted  for  the  war,  have  you  not?"  queried  Arnold. 

"Yes." 

"  Well,  I  would  advise  you  to  engage  a  substitute ;  for,  while  you 
are  away  he'll  marry  the  girl." 

"By  Jove!  so  he  will.  I  know  she  is  naturally  disposed  to  be 
fickle,  and  it  is  out  of  eight,  out  of  mind  with  her,  but  my  chances 
in  that  event  will  be  gone  forever." 

"That's  about  the  size  of  it.  You  had  better  make  some  other 
arrangements.    I  was  thinking " 

"Well,  what  were  you  thinking?"  interrupted  Reinhart,  im- 
patiently. 

"  It  occurred  to  me,"  resumed  Arnold,  biting  the  end  of  a  cigar, 
"that  you  might  arrange  it  so  that  he  would  go  out  with  the  bat- 
tery as  captain  instead  of  you,  and  never  return." 

"  Never  return  !  what  do  you  mean  ?"  queried  Reinhart,  in  a  hol- 
low voice  and  much  agitated. 

"  He  might  fall  on  the  field  of  battle  somewhere,  get  accidentally 
shot  or  blown  up  by  the  premature  discharge  of  a  gun,  and  then 
you  could  act  the  comforter  and  by  various  kindly  acts  and  de- 


UNDER   THE   STARS  AND  BARS.  \) 

vises  win  your  way  to  Miss  Elverton's  undisputed  affection  and 
eventually  marry  her." 

"  By  Jove!  the  very  thing ;  I  know  she  loves  him  devotedly,  and 
I  have  scarcely  any  show  at  all  while  he  exists;  but,  once  he  is  re- 
moved, victory  i»  mine  as  sure  as  fate.  But  how  can  I  go  back  on 
my  word  ?    I  have  volunteered,  you  know." 

"  Engage  a  substitute,  and  propose  Faulkner  for  the  captaincy." 

"  Who  would  go  in  my  place  ?" 

"  I  would,  and  you  may  rest  assured  in  that  event,  Captain 
Faulkner  would  never  cross  your  path  again,"  said  Arnold,  sig- 
nificantly. 

"  Well,  since  you  have  such  a  fertile  imagination  for  concocting 
plots,  will  you  tell  me  how  I  am  to  arrange  it  so  that  Faulkner  will 
go  instead  of  myself?" 

"Easy  enough,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  pretend  you  have  been 
taken  suddenly  ill  the  day  previous  to  the  departure  of  the  troops, 
which  will  be  next  Thursday.  Moreover,  I  heard  Faulkner  ex- 
press a  desire  to  go  before  your  name  was  proposed  as  captain,  and 
I  feel  certain  that  if  he  were  tendered  your  commission  he  would 
accept,  for  he  is  more  than  half  mad  with  Edith  for  maintaining 
her  flirtation  with  you.  However,  to  make  assurance  doubly  sure, 
I  will  take  him  around  among  the  boys,  get  him  intoxicated  if  pos- 
sible, and  while  thus  bereft  of  his  senses  he  shall  be  honored  with 
the  captaincy  in  your  stead." 

"Admirable;  you  have  brains  enough  to  command  a  regiment, 
and  after  I  recover  I  will  use  my  influence  for  you ;  by  the  way,  I 
would  rather  he  would  not  be  injured  iu  any  way,  but  if  you  can 
betray  him  into  the  hands  of  the  Confederates  and  have  him  de- 
tained a  prisoner  for  a  reasonable  period  and  start  the  report  that 
he  is  dead,  I  think  I  can  accomplish  my  purpose." 

"  Leave  that  to  me,  if  I  don't  put  him  out  of  your  way  for  many 
a  long  day  my  name  ain't  Art  Arnold."  saying  which  he  took  his 
departure. 

When  Arnold,  the  arch-plotter,  left  Reinhart  alone  with  his  re- 
flexions, that  worthy  threw  the  end  of  his  cigar  out  of  the  window 
and  paced  up  and  down  the  room  humming  a  popular  air,  while 
he  mused  and  mentally  debated  regarding  the  probable  success  of 
the  diabolical  plot  to  which  he,  a  supposed  honorable  young  gen- 
tleman, had  become  an  abettor,  not  to  say  instigator. 

"  Arnold  has  a  wonderfully  clear  head,  I  never  gave  him  credit 
for  the  amount  of  ingenuity  which  he  has  displayed  on  the  present 
occasion ;  if  he  only  carries  out  the  details  as  successfully  as  he  has 
planned  them,  I  see  no  reason  why  I  should  not  yet  be  the  happy 
husband  of  the  belle  of  Norwood." 


CHAPTER  III. 

AMONG  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

On  the  same  August  evening  that  Reinhart  and  Arnold  arranged 


10  UNDER  THE   STARS  AND  BARS. 

their  plans,  our  hero  Frank  Faulkner  had  the  pleasure  of  driving 
about  the  shady  and  deliciously  cool  suburbs  of  Norwood,  -with 
pretty  Edith  Elverton  by  his  side. 

The  drive  was  heartily  enjoyed  by  both.  Frank's  chestnut  trot- 
ter being  able  to  pass  every  vehicle  ou  the  road  with  apparent 
ease. 

They  chatted  pleasantly  all  evening,  and  to  hear  their  merry 
laugh  and  mirthful  remarks,  no  one  would  believe  that  aught  but 
sunshine  had  ever  intervened  between  them.  On  their  way  home- 
ward, however,  Frank  took  occasion  to  gently  chide  her  for  the 
coquettish  propensities,  and  observed  that  he  was  surprised  that  a 
young  lady  of  her  refinement  and  social  standing  would  encourage 
the  advances,  or  receive  the  attentions  of  a  man  so  manifestly  low- 
principled,  as  Reinhart,  the  gambler  and  horse  jockey,  whereupon 
she  crimsoned  confusedly  and  made  a  sharp  retort  which  caused 
Frank  f.o  grow  exceedingly  nettled.  She  did  not  endeavor  to  con- 
ceal her^anger  but  intimated  that  Reinhart  was  as  good  as  he  any 
day,  and  that  she  didn't  wish  to  have  any  friend  of  hers  disparaged 
in  her  presence. 

Frank,  who  was  naturally  disposed  to  be  a  little  jealous,  miscon- 
strued this  display  of  feeling  upon  her  part,  and  in  an  angry  mo- 
ment observed : 

"This  thing  has  gone  far  enough,  Edith,  once  for  all  I  demand 
that  you  come  to  an  understanding  with  me ;  I  cannot  bear  the 
torture  of  seeing  you  with  my  rival  and  bestowing  upon  him  those 
smiles  which  I  feel  should  belong  to  me.  I  ask  it  as  a  favor  that 
you  dismiss  him  at  once  and  engage  yourself  to  me." 

"Not  yet,  Mr.  Faulkner,"  she  said,  with  emphasis.  "  I  have 
long  regarded  you  as  a  friend,  but  I  do  not  hold  myself  subject  to 
your  whims.  I  am  free  to  exercise  my  own  caprices,  and  1  intend 
so  to  remain  for  some  time,  at  least  as  far  as  you  are  concerned." 

Frank  grew  pale  and  staggered  up  against  the  gate  post. 

"This  then  is  your  decision  ?"  he  gasped,  quite  astonished  at  her 
unusually  sharp  tones. 

"  It  is,"  she  replied,  her  dark  eyes  snapping  forth  a  strange  bril- 
liancy. 

"Then,"  he  murmured,  extending  his  hand,  "  we  must  part.  I 
shall  leave  Norwood  soon  ;  perhaps  I  may  never  see  you  again— 
good-by!" 

She  shook  his  hand  and  then  with  the  greatest  dignity  turned 
and  slowly  walised  toward  the  house. 

As  she  turned  she  dropped  a  small  tuberose  from  her  clustering 
black  hair. 

Eagerly  Frank,  who  adored  the  ground  upon  which  she  stood, 
stooped  and  secured  the  flower,  then  hastening  into  his  carriage  he 
seized  the  reins,  whipped  the  horse,  and  dashed  from  sight. 

Many  a  time  after  this  event,  fair  Edith  had  cause  to  regret  her 
hasty  action  ;  for,  to  tell  the  truth,  she  was  as  deeply  impressed 
with  Frank  as  he  with  her. 


UNDEK  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  11 

The  next  morning  Frank,  while  strolling  down  toward  the  green, 
was  accosted  by  Arthur  Arnold,  who  approached  him  with  abroad 
grin  upon  his  sinister  features. 

44  I  say,  Frank,"  he  observed,  44  what's  the  matter  with  you?  You 
look  as  glum  as  though  something  had  disagreed  with  you ;  hain't 
been  eating  no  green  cucumbers  or  unripe  watermelons,  have 
you?" 

44  No,  Art,  worse  than  that." 

44  What !  your  gal  ain't  gone  back  on  yer,  has  she?" 

44  Well,  you've  guessed  pretty  straight;  we  have  quarreled,  and 
last  evening  we  parted  as  strangers." 

There  was  a  triumphant  gleam  in  Arnold's  eyes  as  he  heard  this 
avowal. 

44  Ha!  ha!"  he  observed,  "it's  only  a  petty  pout;  she'll  be  all 
right  again  soon." 

44 1  don't  care  whether  she  is  or  not,"  returned  Frank,  desper- 
ately, l4 1  have  had  enough  of  her  confounded  coquetry.  I  am  go- 
ing to  giv^her  up  and  leave  these  parts ;  in  fact  I  am  on  the  way 
now  to  enlist.    I'm  going  to  the  war  for  a  change  of  scene." 

44  You  don't  mean  it?"  gasped  Arnold,  in  astonishment. 

44  Never  was  more  in  earnest  in  my  life." 

44  Well,  if  that's  the  case,  I  think  I  can  secure  for  you  a  commis- 
sion as  captain  in  the Ohio  light  battery." 

44  No,  I  think  not.  Reinhart  has  that  position,  and  I  wouldn't 
go  in  the  same  regiment  as  he.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  despise 
him." 

44  But  Reinhart  is  unable  to  go.  I  saw  him  this  morning,  and  he 
is  sick  with  acute  rheumatism  and  nervous  prostration;  ho  has 
been  obliged  to  resign  his  position.  I  am  going  with  the  battery, 
and  I  am  quite  sure  I  can  get  you  the  position  vacated  by  Reinny." 

"  Very  well,  in  that  case  I  am  your  obedieutservant,"  responded 
Frank,  little  dreaming  he  was  falling  into  the  trap  so  artfully  laid 
for  him. 

Taking  him  by  the  arm  familiarly,  Arnold  conducted  him  to  the 
the  headquarters  of  the  battery  on  the  green,  where  he  was  re- 
ceived with  manifestations  of  popular  favor,  duly  enrolled,  and 
elected  captain  by  acclamation. 

Donning  the  uniform  of  a  Federal  artillery  officer,  he  walked 
home,  there  to  surprise  his  folks  to  whom  it  was  the  first  intima- 
tion of  his  determination  to  4'go  for  a  soldier." 

Their  entreaties,  remonstrances  and  pathetic  appeals  to  dissuade 
him  from  his  purpose  were  alike  in  vain. 

Even  his  mother's  tears  had  no  softening  effect  upon  him,  so, 
smoothing  his  hair  with  her  soft  hand  she  kissed  his  high  forehead 
ere  he  took  his  departure  on  the  following  morning,  mounted 
upon  his  fleet  chestnut  racer. 

44  I'll  be  true  blue,  on  that  you  may  depend,"  he  said,  as  his 


12  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

father  shook  him  by  the  hand  on  the  green  ere  the  departure  of 
the  troops  for  the  front. 

Then  the  artillery -boys,  headed  by  the  village  brass-band,  made 
a  short  street  parade,  led  by  their  handsome  young  officer. 

As  they  passed  by  the  post-office,  Frank  happening  to  look  up, 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  beautiful  face  of  Edith  Elverton  eagerly 
regarding  him. 

He  raised  his  cap  instinctively,  whereupon  she  smiled,  bowed 
slightly  and  turned  away  to  conceal  her  agitation. 

"  She  cares  not  for  me,"  he  murmured,  as  he  proceeded  toward 
the  depot. 

Boarding  the  cars,  the  boys  in  blue  were  soon  on  their  way  to 
Cincinnati,  amid  the  thunders  of  saluting  cannon  and  cheers  of  the 
multitude. 

Reaching  the  city  in  due  course,  the  Norwood  artillerists  were 
assigned  to  the Ohio  light  artillery,  and  designated  as  "Bat- 
tery F." 

After  a  few  weeks  spent  in  the  irksome  duty  of  drilling  and  or- 
ganizing, the  regiment  crossed  over  into  Kentucky  and  pushed 
forward  with  alacrity  toward  the  Cumberland  Mountains. 

Reaching  Cumberland  Gap  in  due  time,  after  a  hard  march  over 
toilsome  roads,  rough  mountain  paths,  dense  woods  and  tangled 
undergrowth,  they  were  ordered  to  join  McClellan  in  his  series  of 
battles  in  Western  Virginia,  and  Battery  F  came  into  action  for 
the  first  time  at  the  Battle  of  Cheat  Mountaiu,  which  occurred  on 
September  12. 

The  inexperienced  soldiers  worked  the  guns  with  wonderful 
coolness  and  precision  under  the  direction  of  Captain  Faulkner, 
who,  mounted  upon  the  spirited  charger,  was  ever  near  and  on 
the  lookout  to  secure  effective  positions. 

After  a  sharp  fight,  the  Federals  succeeded  in  pushing  Lee  and  his 
Confederate  hordes  back  toward  the  Old  Dominion,  and  McClellan 
had  the  great  satisfaction  of  wresting  West  Virginia  entirely  from 
their  grasp. 

After  this  signal  victory  the  battery  was  detached  from  the 
regiment  and  sent  to  help  strengthen  the  Federal  position  at 
Cumberland  Gap,  where  they  remained  until  about  Christmas. 

During  this'loug,  tedious  interval,  Captain  Frank  Faulkner  be- 
came a  great  favorite  with  all  the  military  men  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact. 

The  acquaintance  of  Lieutenant  Percy  Powers,  a  young  Irish 
officer  of  an  Indiana  infantry  regiment  which  he  soon  formed, 
pleased  him  exceedingly. 

Lieutenant  Powers  was  the  wittiest  man  in  camp  and  a  general 
favorite  with  all  the  boys. 

A  truer  heart  never  beat  beneath  a  blue  blouse  and  shoulder- 
straps. 

During  the  monotonous  spell  of  camp  life  he  was  the  life  of 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  13 

everybody.  His  jokes,  songs  and  mirth-provokijg  stories  were 
most  enjoyable. 

It  happened  one  day  that  one  of  his  men,  Nelse  Stuart,  was  out 
on  guard  duty  at  the  foot  of  the  west  side  of  the  mountain  and 
quite  near  the  plantation  of  a  notoriously  Southern  sympathizer. 

Now  the  strict  orders  were  that  on  no  account  should  private 
property  be  molested. 

Nelse,  while  pacing  up  aud  down  under  a  row  of  saplings,  no- 
ticed that  the  trees  were  literally  full  of  cackling  hens,  fluttering 
chickens  and  gobbling  turkeys. 

He  smacked  his  lips  at  this  tempting  display  of  toothsome  pro- 
vender within  easy  reach,  and  allowed  that  it  was  a  shame  the 
boys  had  to  content  themseves  with  rancid  salt  pork  when  so 
many  fat  rebel  pullets  were  at  hand  and  seemingly  inciting  a  de- 
liberate selection. 

At  length  he  determined  to  get,  at  least,  a  few  of  the  chickens, 
twist  their  necks,  and  hide  them  among  the  bushes  until  evening, 
when  he  could  smuggle  them  into  camp  and  give  the  boys  an  en- 
joyable treat. 

"By  gosh!  I'll  do  it!"  resolved  the  hoosier,  and  crawling 
stealthily  btneath  the  tree,  he  eagerly  watched  his  opportunity, 
and  suddenly  launching  out  with  his  bayonet,  he  succeeded  in 
spitting  two  of  the  fattest-looking  fowls  upon  his  keen  steel. 

Just  as  he  was  on  the  point  of  taking  them  off  he  heard  foot- 
steps approaching,  and  looking  up  was  astonished  and  alarmed  to 
perceive  the  familiar  form  of  Lieutenant  Powers  beside  him. 

Quickly  throwing  his  musket  up  to  a  right  shoulder  shift,  he 
passed  nervously  up  and  down  beneath  the  leafy  covert. 

"  What  have  you  there,  Stuart?"  asked  the  lieutenant,  approach- 
ing and  pointing  with  his  finger  at  the  bayonet  of  the  sentry. 

Stuart  looked  up  with  a  blank  look  of  innocence  depicted  upon 
his  countenance,  and  replied  : 

"  By  gosh,  leftenant,  how  did  that  happen  ?  Gracious,  the  blast- 
ed chicks  must  have  spitted  themselves  on  my  bayonet  while  I 
was  pacing  here.    Well,  I  swan  !  that  too  consarned  bad." 

"Well,"  said  Power,  with  a  merry  twinkle  in  his  bright,  blue 
eyes,  "I'll  forgive  you  this  time,  Nelse,  but  see  that  it  don't  occur 
again ;  by  the  way,  you  can  carry  those  chickens  to  my  tent,  I 
must  investigate  them." 

Stuart's  jaw  dropped  as  the  lieutenant  strode  away. 

"  Investigate  them,"  he  echoed,  "  I  guess  he  will;  but,  humso- 
ever,  I'm  going  to  investigate  two  more;"  and  suiting  the  aotion 
to  the  word,  he  repeated  his  speariug  process. 

If  anybody  had  been  in  the  vicinity  of  Stuart's  tent  that  night, 
they  would  have  been  surprised  with  the  delightful  odor  of  roast 
chicken  which  exhaled  itself  upon  the  bracing  mountain  air. 


H  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MAPLEHURST. 

In  one  of  the  most  romantic  spots  in  Kentucky,  the  village  of 
Glenwood,  already  spoken  of  in  our  narrative,  stands. 

This  small  burg  is  picturesquely  situated  upon  the  side  of  a 
slight  eminence,  commanding  an  extended  view  of  pleasant  dis- 
tricts of  verdant  meadows  and  leafy  forests,  and  affords  a  mag- 
nificant  prospect  of  the  grand  old  Kentucky  river  rolling  away 
in  the  misty  distance  like  a  thread  of  burnished  silver,  while 
across  its  murmuring  waters  and  towering  banks  are  more  vistas 
of  trees  and  groups  of  white  cottages,  forming  smaller  villages. 

Although  comparatively  small  in  extent  and  population,  its 
streets  were  graced  by  many  fine  residences,  chiefly  villas,  occu- 
pied during  the  summer  months  by  wealthy  families  from  Louis- 
ville or  Frankfort,  and  occasionally  in  more  remote  corners  by 
the  mansions  of  resident  farmers  and  politicans. 

Undoubtedly  the  most  costly  of  these  was  Maplehurst,  a  spacious 
stone  mansion  environed  by  beautiful  grounds,  consisting  of  a 
garden,  a  park  in  which  could  be  seen  a  herd  of  tame  deer  quietly 
browsing  upon  the  rich  blue  grass,  sparkling  fountains  filled  the 
air  with  their  irredescent  jets,  while  gold  fish  plashed  about  in  the 
cooling  waters  of  their  basin. 

Fair  lawns  stretched  like  a  vast  billard  table  surface  to  meet  the 
edge  of  the  dusty  country  road  that  wound  its  w.-y  to  the  center 
of  the  village. 

These  lawns  were  interspersed  with  graveled  paths  and  carriage 
driveways,  girded  in  by  potteries  of  beautiful  flowers  of  rare 
fragrance  and  luxuriant  development,  such  as  only  a  Southern 
sun  smiling  upon  could  produce. 

This  Eden  was  the  property  of  Judge  Sydney  Starr  Stanfleld. 

Stanfield  was  a  man  verging  on  his  fiftieth  year  ;  in  form  he  was 
about  the  medium  height,  stoutly  built,  being  broad-shouldered 
and  quiet  fleshy. 

His  face  was  long  and  well  shaped,  with  glowing  cheeks,  straight 
nose,  finely  shaped  mouth,  perfect  teeth  and  deep  blue  eyes. 

Judge  Stanfield's  family  consisted  only  of  two  daughters,  his 
wife  having  been  dead  for  some  years. 

Stanfield's  chief  friend  and  associate  was  Colonel  Harold  Grey- 
son,  a  hero  of  the  Mexican  war,  who  had  lately  been  commission- 
ed colonel  of  a  Confederate  regiment   stationed   in    the   vicinity. 

This  gentleman  and  soldier,  being  in  comfortable  circumstances, 
resided  in  a  mansion  but  a  short  distance  from  Stanfield. 

Greyson,  although  he  had  served  so  long  as  a  soldier,  was  still 
comparatively  youthful  and  handsome.  In  statue  he  was  tall  and 
commanding,  though  not  unusually  thin,  his  form  was  lithe  and 
elastic,  just  the  frame  capable  of  endurance,  which  fact  had  al- 
ready been  proven  on  more  than  one  occasion 

Liko  Stanfield,  his  manners  were  graceful  and  refined  in  the  ex- 


UNDER  THE  STARS   AND   BARS.  15 

treme.  His  appearance  was  very  prepossessing,  and  but  for  the 
loss  of  an  arm,  unfortunately  the  right,  he  would  have  been  a  per- 
fect specimen  of  manhood.  His  arm  had  been  left  on  the  battle- 
field of  Cerro  Gordo  in  Mexico. 

Stanfield  had  taken  a  great  liking  to  him,  not  only  on  account  of 
his  valor,  but  also  his  genial  disposition. 

He  found  him  a  very  pleasant  companion,  and  frequently  they 
could  be  seen  side  by  side  in  a  vehicle  or  mounted  on  Stanfield's 
horses,  of  which  he  was  possessed  of  some  of  the  best  in  Kentucky. 
Stanfield  expected  that  in  due  course  of  time  Greyson  would 
wed  his  elder  daughter,  upon  whom  he  had  ever  bestowed  the 
most  ardent  attention  and  affection,  and  tnis  event  was  looked 
forward  to  with  no  little  interest  on  the  part  of  the  young  lady 
concerned,  as  she  greatly  admired  his  military  distinction  and  sol- 
dierly apprearance. 

The  soft,  misty  opal  of  a  sultry  summer  evening  was  enfolding 
the  green  mantled  hills  and  velvety  meadows  of  the  beautiful 
country  in  which  Judge  Stanfield's  elegant  mansion  was  situated, 
and  the  stars  were  shining  peacefully  down  from  a  sky  as  blue  and 
cloudless  as  can  only  be  seen  in  Southeru  atmospheres,  as  two 
young  ladies,  the  judge's  beautiful  and  accomplished  daughters, 
emerged  from  the  front  entrance  and  seated  themselves  upon  the 
spacious  veranda,  there  to  enjoy  the  cool  summer  zephyrs  and 
chat  in  a  guileless  iunocence  peculiar  to  country  belles. 

The  sweet,  aromatic  perfumes  of  the  honeysuckle,  jasmine  and 
moss  rose  mingled  their  fragrance,  and  added  the  refreshing 
charm  of  their  beauteous  forms  to  the  rustic  latticework  that  cov- 
ered the  front  of  the  veranda. 

Peepingjfrom  this  profusion  of  rich,  green  foliage  and  exotics, 
the  faces  of  the  two  charming  maidens  formed  a  most  attractive 
magnet. 
They  vere  both  surprisingly  beautiful. 

One,  the  elder,  whose  age  was  perhaps  two-and-twenty,  and 
whose  name  was  Leoliue,  was  a  bright,  light-hearted  girl,  possess- 
ed of  a  delightful  degree  of  vivacity  and  sunny  prettiuess.  A 
happy  smile  ever  rippled  on  the  ripe  lips  and  sparkled  iu  her  dark 
eyes. 

Nellie,  her  sister,  was  possessed  of  that  exquisite  type  of  beauty 
which  poets  have  so  often  described  in  transports  of  glowing,  soul- 
impassioned  verse. 

A  tall  slender,  graceful,  sylph-like  form,  features  classic  and 
delicately  carved,  snowy  complexion,  jeweled  with  large,  limpid 
blue  eyes,  and  crowned  with  a  profusion  of  soft,  silky,  golden 
hair;  both  of  which  distinctive  features  Reubens  so  loved  to 
paint. 

She  sat  with  her  arm  resting  on  the  rustic  railing  of  the  veranda 
and  looked  dreamily    out   into  the  enchanted  haze  of  earth  and 


1G  UNDER   THE  STARS  AND   BARS. 

heaven,  seeing  nothing  of  the  fresh  beauty  that  surrounded  her, 
for  her  heart  and  brain  were  alike  full. 

It  was  at  the  unhappy  period  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil 
war,  and  her  accepted  lover,  Fred  Merrigold,  had  that  day  con- 
fided to  her  the  secret  of  his  sympathies  with  the  North. 

As  for  herself,  she  was  a  girl  of  intensely  Southern  sentiment, 
and  to  have  her  lover  indicate  a  preference  for  and  belief  in  the 
righteousness  of  the  cause  of  the  hated  invaders  caused  her  the 
most  acute  pain. 

Withal,  however,  she  could  not  submit  to  allow  herself  to  ex- 
perience a  revulsion  of  feeling  toward  him,  for  she  had  long  ad- 
mired him  as  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  manhood,  and  loved  him  with 
an  enthusiasm  that  amounted  almost  to  adoration. 

When  his  feelings  had  been  fearlessly  submitted  to  her  she  cau- 
tioned him  to  observe  the  greatest  care  in  expressing  himself  as  he 
felt  impelled  to  do,  and  now  she  was  tortured  with  the  harrowing 
fear  that  he  might  suffer  personal  violence  at  the  hands  of  the 
secessionists  should  they  getau  inkling  of  his  Unionist  proclivities. 
Her  fears  were  not  unreasonable,  as  we  have  already  learned  in 
the  first  chapter  of  this  tory. 

While  the  two  beauties  sat  gazing  out  upon  the  verdant  land- 
scape that  spread  with  the  diversity  of  a  panorama  before  them, 
to  the  spot  where  the  Kentucky  river  flashed  and  sparkled  like  a 
broad  band  of  silver,  down  in  its  deep  basin,  the  sharp  sound  of 
horses' hoofs  were  heard  upon  the  country  road  beyond  the  row 
of  magnolias  which  formed  a  fragrant  vista  before  the  gate,  and  a 
moment  later  a  gentleman,  clad  in  the  gray  suit  of  a  Confederate 
soldier,  and  with  the  leaf  of  a  major  gleaming  from  his  ccat  collar, 
came  within  range  of  vision,  and  rapidly  approached  them. 

"  Here  comes  Colonel  Greyson,"  observed  Nellie,  addressing  her 
sister. 

Instautly  a  flush  of  pleasure  enkindled  upon  the  cheeks  of  fair 
Leoline,  and  her  dark  eyes  snapped  with  animation,  as  she  arose 
from  her  seat  and  tripped  gracefully  down  the  steps  to  meet  the 
handsome  officer  who  approached. 

He  saw  her  movement  and  raised  his  Kossuth  hat,  giving  it  a 
vigorous  sweep,  thus  indicating  the  delight  which  the  sight  of  her 
familiar  form  afforded  him. 

A  moment  later  he  was  beside  her,  and  dismounting,  had  clasped 
her  small,  delicate  and  shapely  hand  in  a  manner  that  made  her 
wince ;  then,  with  words  of  welcome  echoing  in  his  ears,  he  fol- 
lowed her  up  the  steps  and  took  a  seat  beside  her,  which  Nellie 
had  just  vacated  for  the  purpose. 

We  will  not  intrude  upon  the  pleasant  tcte-a-tete  of  the  lovers, 
but  continue  to  view  the  surroundings. 

A  turnpike  road,  hard  and  smooth,  wound  its  way  around  the 
romantic  hills  which  were  rich  in  verdure,  crowned  with  cedar, 
and  evergreen  laurel,  and  scarred  with  cliffs  and  caverns,  formiug 


UNDER   THE   STARS   AND    HAKS.  17 

the  most  picturesque  scenery  to  be  fouud  iu  the  Kentucky  river 
valley. 

Groups  of  persimmon  trees  abounded  in  the  vicinity,  their 
branches  laden  with  ripening  fruit. 

Iu  fact  it  appeared  a  veritable  garden  spot  of  the  South. 

Nothing  that  a  romantic  imagination  or  cultured  mind  could  de- 
sire was  lacking. 

The  landscape  was  superb  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and  it  was 
little  wonder  that  in  these  beautiful  surroundings,  the  judge's  ac- 
complished daughters  developed  into  such  lovely  young  women 
and  peerless  daughters  of  the  South. 

The  Confederate  officer  lingered  long  and  ardently  by  the  side 
of  his  fair  inamorata,  and  when  at  length  he  withdrew,  it  was  with 
the  understanding  that  a  year  hence  he  should  return  and  claim 
her  hand. 


CHAPTER  V. 

BATTLE  OF  MILL  SPRINGS. 

Moruing  in  the  mountains,  and  a  more  witching  autumn  morn 
never  beamed  upon  the  lofty  crags  of  the  Cumberland  mount- 
ains. 

The  troops  were  early  astir,  and  all  was  bustle  and  confusion 
about  the  camp. 

An  attack  was  clearly  anticipated  from  the  rebel  hosts  that  held 
the  pass  further  down,  at  a  place  known  as  Wild  Cat. 

Captain  Frank  Faulkner,  with  his  efficiently  drilled  battery- 
boys,  was  awaiting  with  the  greatest  eagerness  the  order  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  pass,  and  open  upon  the  enemy. 

The  infantry  regiments  were  drawn  up  iu  line  and  standing  at  a 
"  parade  rest,"  just  as  eager  to  be  ordered  to  the  fray  as  their 
brethren  of  the  brass  Napoleons. 

At  length  the  crash  of  musketry  and  prolonged  thundering  of 
artillery  was  borne  to  their  ears  on  the  bracing  mountain  air,  and 
finally,  to  their  great  relief,  they  were  ordered  forward  to  support 
the  Federal  right  and  center. 

The  affair  however,  proved  to  be  only  a  skirmish,  for  as  these 
fresh  troops  advanced  at  a  double  quick,  the  rebels,  tvith  one  final 
volley,  turned  and  fled  iu  precipitate  haste. 

Frank  mauaged  to  wheel  three  of  his  guns  into  a  favorable  posi- 
tion on  a  plateau,  and  uulimbering,  was  soon  pouring  shrieking 
shot  and  shell  into  their  demoralized  columns. 

After  this  brief  battle  they  returned  to  their  quarters  at  Cumber- 
laud  Gap,  where  nothing  of  moment  occurred  until  the  morning 
of  January  14,  1862,  when  they  received  a  sudden  call  to  hasten 
with  all  available  force  to  the  village  of  Mill  Springs,  on  the  Cum- 
berland river. 


18  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND    BARS. 

On  their  way  thither  the  battery  came  suddenly  plump  upon  a 
bivouac  of  rebels  in  a  thick  pine  grove. 

It  was  a  desperate  situation  ;  for  who  could  tell  the  numbers  of 
the  enemy  upon  whom  they  had  thus  unwittingly  stumbled  ? 

Nothing  daunted,  however,  Frank  ordered  a  gun  uulimbered, 
pushed  forward,  and  dismounting,  with  field  glass  in  hand,  ob- 
served to  the  gunner. 

•'  Sergeant  Burton,  just  tickle  those  fellows  up  with  a  shell." 

Crash!  went  the  gun,  and  the  shell  whizzed  plump  among  a 
number  of  rebels,  evidently  guerrillas,  who  were  standing  near 
their  horses. 

With  the  utmost  consternation  those  who  escaped  injury  jumped 
into  their  saddles  and  sped  away  at  a  helter-skelter  pace,  hardly 
daring  to  look  behind  them. 

'These  fellows  seem  to  be  in  a  hurry,"  remarked  Frank,  as  he 
remounted  his  horse  and  led  the  way  fearlessly  toward  the  spot 
lately  occupied  by  the  enemy. 

On  reaching  the  place  they  discovered  the  forms  of  five  rebels 
stretched  in  a  heap,  all  but  one  dead,  showing  that  the  shell  had 
done  good  execution. 

The  one  not  killed  was  badly  injured  about  the  hands  and  face. 
They  took  him  prisoner  and  turned  him  over  to  the  care  of  their 
surgeon. 

They  found  a  tent  which  had  evidently  been  occupied  by  the 
commanding  officer,  on  entering  which  they  saw  that  that 
worthy's  boots  and  watch  were  left  behind  him,  so  great  was  his 
haste. 

Frank  took  possession  of  the  chronometer,  a  fine  gold  one,  which 
he  found  hung  up  on  the  tent  pole,  and  ticking  away  just  as  it  had 
been  left  by  the  rebel  captain. 

They  then  pushed  forward  without  further  incident,  and  on  the 
evening  of  the  eighteenth  of  January  joined  the  main  body  of 
Thomas'  army  near  Mill  Springs. 

On  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth  the  Federals  attacked  the  in- 
trenched camp  of  the  Confederates  with  great  vigor,  and  for  sev- 
eral hours  a  hotly  contested  engagement  ensued. 

The  gallant  Tenth  Indiana  infantry  in  which  Lieutenant  Powers 
served,  was  conspicuous  for  great  bravery.  A  regiment  of  Ken- 
tuckians,  under  Colonel  Fry,  accompanied  them  in  their  impetu- 
ous charge  upon  the  rebel  lines. 

Mill  Springs  was  one  of  the  most  desirable  stragetic  points  on 
the  Cumberland,  and  to  retain  it  the  rebels  fought  desperately. 

Captain  Faulkner  found  a  favorable  position  for  Battery  F,  and 
his  six  brass  pieces  were  soon  blending  their  hoarse  voices  in  the 
din  of  the  conflict. 

While  riding  about  among  the  guns  directing  their  effective  use. 
a  rebel  grape-shot  passed  between  his  leg  and  the  horse,  blistering 
the  limb,  so  close  was  its  contact. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  19 

Shell  aud  rouud  shot  hissed  among  them  with  a  spiteful  shriek 
or  dull  throb,  yet  the  gallant  battery-boys  worked  their  guns  in 
magnificent  style,  and  were  a  credit  to  Norwood. 

All  but  one  were  heroes  on  that  day  of  dreadful  ordeal. 

This  one  was  Art  Arnold,  who,  being  of  a  cowardly  disposition, 
had  not  the  courage  to  face  the  foe,  but  skulked  off  iuto  the  woods 
and  hid  until  the  battle  was  over,  amusiug  himself  the  while  by 
tiring  a  musket  which  he  had  secured  at  our  dashing  hero,  Frank 
Faulkner,  who  was  ever  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  little  dream- 
iug  that  he  was  being  made  a  target  of  by  one  of  his  own  men,  and 
a  supposed  friend. 

Fortunately,  however,  Arnold  was  a  very  poor  shot  at  besl,  and 
the  shock  to  his  nerves  caused  by  the  fear  of  going  into  action 
prevented  him  from  directing  his  bullets  with  any  precision. 

Ball  after  ball  Battery  F  hurled  into  the  rebel  rifle-pits,  and  de- 
struction reigned  supreme  wherever  their  deadly  missiles  struck. 
Finally  the  most  thrilling  moment  of  the  fight  arrived. 

Over  the  hill  with  the  speed  of  the  wind  came  a  thick  body  of 
rebel  troopers  heading  directly  for  the  battery  with  wild  cries  and 
flashing  sabers. 

The  gunners  worked  frantically  and  with  great  excitement. 

Captain  Faulkner  took  in  the  trying  situation,  and  with  wonder- 
ful coolness  maintained  his  position  by  the  line  and  gave  the  com- 
mand: 

" Steady,  boys  !  stand  by  the  guns!  be  brave!  hurl  them  back! 
give  them  grape  and  canister!" 

His  trilling  voice  inspired  the  brave  young  artillerists  who  with 
bated  breath  and  loaded  pieces  awaited  a  critical  moment  to 
lanch  forth  their  irou  hail  upon  the  advancing  rebel  host. 

With  heavy  tread  and  lightning  rush  the  Confederate  troopers 
pressed  forward. 

Then  came  a  deafening  crash  under  which  the  ground  trembled  ; 
there  were  flashes  that  rent  the  smoke  clouds  and  a  seething  temp- 
est of  grape  and  canister  that  tore  the  line  of  gray  into  a  twisting, 
writhing  heap  of  crushed  humanity,  aud  sent  the  survivors  of  the 
fearful  carnage  reeling  back  to  cover. 

For  several  hours  after  this  brilliant  repulse,  the  cannon  belched 
forth  their  deadly  projectiles,  sweeping  the  woods,  hills  and  val- 
leys in  front  uutil  it  seemed  as  though  nothing  in  the  path  of  their 
deadly  range  could  survive. 

The  deafening  roar  of  the  guns  was  accompanied  the  while  by 
rattling  volleys  of  musketry  ;  the  cheers  of  the  Federal  troops  as 
they  gained  ground  ;  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying  ;  the 
screams  and  snorts  of  terrified  horses,  the  hoarse  shouts  of  com- 
manding officers,  and  the  fierce  hyena  yells  of  the  exultant  Con- 
federates,  all  blended  in  one  terrible  panmonium. 

At  length  the  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Kentucky  infantry  were  mass- 
ed uuder  cover  of  the  artillery,  aud  under  command  of  their  re- 


20  UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS. 

spective  colonels  dashed  upon  the  rebel  works  with  overpowering 
impetuosity,  driving  the  rebels  from  their  rifle-pits  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet,  forcing  them  across  the  plains  toward  the  mountains, 
scattered  like  beads  from  a  broken  string,  and  desperately  wound- 
ing one  of  their  commanders,  General  Zollicoffer,  who,  with  diffi- 
culty, escaped  capture. 

The  Battle  of  Mill  Springs  was  fought,  and  one  more  brilliant 
victory  recorded  for  the  cause  of  the  Union. 

The  troops  bivouacked  near  the  battlefield,  and  those  not  sent  in 
pursuit  of  the  flying  rebels  were  soon  ordered  to  march  toward 
Western  Kentucky  with  a  view  of  assisting  in  holding  Louisville, 
which  city  was  threatened  with  invasion  by  the  Confederates. 

Battery  F  was  among  those  destined  for  that  place,  and  with  de- 
pleted numbers  (for  it  had  lost  quite  heavily  in  the  recent  engage- 
ment), gladly  hastened  in  that  direction. 

On  reaching  Louisville,  however,  as  their  term  of  enlistment 
had  expired,  most  of  the  men  went  home. 

Captain  Faulkner  could  not  bear  the  thought  of  returning  to 
Norwood;  accordingly,  he  enlisted  for  three  years  and  was  com- 
missioned major  of  the Indiana  infantry. 

When  the  Confederates  retreated  from  Mill  Springs,  Arnold, 
who  was  still  skulking  in  the  woods,  was  suddenly  confronted  by 
two  of  their  number,  disarmed  and  taken  prisoner. 

They  marched  him  off  in  triumph  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet 
and  forced  him  to  keep  up  with  their  fleeing  columns. 
.  All  night  long  he  was  obliged  to  trudge  along  over    the  rough 
roads,  afraid  to  give  vent  to  his  feelings  of  pain  and  fatigue  in  a 
groan  or  murmer,  so  terrified  was  he  with  his  desperate  position. 

At  length  in  the  morning  when  they  had  gained  the  shelter  of 
the  mountain  fastnesses,  he  was  brought  before  the  commanding 
officer  of  a  rebel  brigade  and  his  case  investigated. 

Noticing  his  cowardly  disposition,  the  rebels  had  great  sport 
suggesting  different  modes  of  execution,  finally  concluding  to  hang 
him. 

He  heard  this  determination  with  a  thrill  of  unutterable  terror ; 
great  beads  of  cold  perspiration  starting  forth  from  his  brow, 
while  he  quivered  like  an  aspen. 

"  Don't  murder  me,  men,"  he  whined,  appealingly.  "  Spare  my 
life,  and  I'll  join  your  army." 

"  Will,  eh  ?"  grunted  the  rebel  colonel.  "Humph!  you'd  be  a 
great  acquisition  to  our  forces." 

A  chorus  of  jeering  laughter  followed  this  observation. 

After  awhile,  however,  when  they  had  enjoyed  enough  sport  at 
the  expense  of  the  discomfited  prisoner,  they  released  him,  and 
caused  him  to  be  enlisted  in  a  Georgia  regiment,  cautioning  him 
with  dire  threats  in  case  of  desertion. 

Arnold,  left  to.  his  own  reflections,  concluded  that  after  all  it 
might  be  for  the  best,  for  he  thought  it  was  safer  to  be  a  skulking 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  21 

rebel  than  a  Federal  artillerist,  exposed  to  the  scorching  brunt  of 
the  battle-field;  and,  moreover,  he  felt  certain  that  he  could  ma- 
ture his  plans  regarding  Faulkne',and  carry  them  into  effect  more 
readily  in  his  new  positiou  than  in  the  old. 

His  brain  was  concentrated  upon  a  plot  which  was  destined  to 
cause  our  hero  untold  trouble,  as  we  shall  see  in  due  course  of 
time. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FALL  OF  FORT  DONEL.SON. 

After  a  short  stay  at  Louisville  the  —  Indiana  regiment,  to 
which  Faulkner  was  attached,  along  with  many  others,  was  or- 
dered to  Cario,  Illinois,  where  Grant  was  engaged  in  fitting  up  his 
famous  expedition  for  the  purpose  of  opening  up  the  Tennessee 
river. 

The  Confederates  held  a  line  of  defense  with  strongly  fortified 
positions  at.  Columbus,  Fort  Henry,  Fort  Donelson,  and  Bowling 
Green. 

It  was  Grant's  purpose  to  pierce  this  line  near  the  center  along 
the  Tennessee  river. 

This,  if  accomplished,  would  compel  the  evacuation  of  Columbus, 
which  was  considered  impregnable,  and  open  the  way  to  Nash- 
ville. 

Accordingly,  Grant  with  his  army,  in  conjunction  with  Foote 
and  his  gunboats,  moved  out  from  Cairo,  and  on  February  C,  re- 
duced Fort  Henry,  after  a  brief  though  spirited  action  of  an 
hour. 

The  rebel  garrison,  however,  mauaged  to  escape  to  Fort  Donel- 
son, where  Grant  promptly  followed. 

The  position  immediately  occupied  by  the  Confederates  rested 
on  the  Cumberland  river  on  the  north.  Westwardly,  it  was  lim- 
ited by  a  deep  ravine  with  precipitous  sides,  through  which  flowed 
a  considerable  stream  swollen  at  the  time  with  surplus  water  from 
the  river.  A  valley  and  backwater  slough  separated  it  on  the 
east  from  the  country  town  of  Dover ;  and  a  line  of  rifle  i>its  with 
positions  for  field  guns  formed  its  exterior  southward  boundary, 
along  the  crest  of  the  ridge  about  twelve  hundred  yards  distant 
from  the  river's  edge. 

A  field  work  of  irregular  bastioned  trace  fronting  southward, 
surmounted  a  plateau  which  rose  about  one  hundred  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  water  in  which  direction  it  commanded  and  pro- 
tected at  close  musket  range,  the  water  batteries  that  were  located 
in  an  admirable  position  to  sweep  the  river  approach,  which,  by 
an  abrupt  turn  in  the  course  of  the  stream  at  that  point,  is  almost 
due  north. 

These  batteries  consisted  of  one  ten-inch  columbiad — one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  pounder — one  rifled   thirty-two  pounder, 


22  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS. 

eight  thirty-two  pounders,  aud  three  thirty-two  pound  carronadee. 

The  approximated  force  of  the  Confederates  was  fourteen  thou- 
sand men,  who,  under  Generals  Floyd, Pillow,  aud  Johnston,  formed 
an  invincible  foe. 

The  force  of  the  attacking  Federals  has  been  variously  estimated 
at  from  eighteen  thousand  to  twenty  thousand  troops. 

On  February  12  two  divisions  of  the  Union  army  were  thrown 
forward  by  two  roads  from  Fort  Henry  toward  Fort  Donelson. 

These  were  McClernaud's,  consisting  of  eleven  regiments  of  in- 
fantry, one  or  two  of  cavalry,  and,  at  least,  four  held  batteries. 
C.  F.  Smith's  division  also,  comprising  eleven  regiments  of  infantry, 
including  Birge's  sharpshooters,  and  four  or  five  field  batteries — in 
all  about  fifteen  thousand  men. 

At  the  same  time  six  regiments  were  dispatched  by  water,  while 
seven  more  regiments,  known  to  be  en  route,  were.ordered  to  pro- 
ceed to  Paducah,  Kentucky,  on  their  transports,  to  the  scene  of 
operations  on  the  Cumberland. 

These  thirteen  regiments  constituted  a  third  division,  nearly  ten 
thousand  strong,  under  command  of  General  Lew  Wallace.  The 
■weather  was  highly  favorable,  being  exceedingly  mild  for  that 
season  of  the  year,  and  accordingly  the  land  column  reached  the 
vicinity  of  the  theater  of  war  early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of 
its  departure  from  Fort  Henry. 

The Indiana  was  in  the  van,  being  attached.to  McClernand's 

division  and  Major  Frank  Faulkner  rode  his  spirited  chestnut  horse 
at  the  head  of  his  regiment  with  as  much  nonchalance  as  if  he  were 
going  on  review  at  Cincinnati. 

He  had  not  heard  a  word  about  Edith  since  leaving  Norwood, 
neither  had  she  favored  him  with  a  letter.  At  first  he  thought  of 
her  constantly,  but  gradually  fond  memories  of  her  began  to  tade, 
and  he  devoted  himself  heart  and  soul  to  the  acquisition  of  mili- 
tary fame.  He  corresponded  with  his  mother  regularly  but  never 
mentioned  Edith's  name. 

The  thought  of  his  repulse  by  her  made  him  reckless  to  a  fault ; 
indeed,  he  placed  so  little  value  upon  life  that  he  cared  not  where 
he  went  or  what  terrible  dangers  he  faced. 

All  through  the  three  days  ter.  ific  assault  upon  Fort  Donelson 
he  maintained  the  same  cool  demeanor  which  marked  his  conduct 
at  Mill  Springs  and  other  engagements  in  which  he  had  partici- 
pated. 

The  Federal  troops  advanced  through  a  narrow  vale  of  cleared 
land  and  as  they  approached,  the  rebels  opened  a  lively  fusilade 
which  :cau<ed  them  to  halt  and  fall  back  to  the  shelter  of  a  ridge, 
from  which  position,  having  concentrated  their  forces,  theymade 
a  detour  and  again  advanced  to  the  assault;  this  time  over  a  more 
favorable  road. 

This  assault  was  made  by  McClernand's  division  to  which  as  we 
have  stated,  our  hero's  command  was  attached.  The  principal  ob- 


UNDER  THE  STABS  AND   BABS.  23 

ject  was  to  effect  a  lodgment  upon  the  enemy's iutrenchmenta  and 
particularlyjupon  a  portion  covering  a  strong  battery  in  the  front. 
The  storming  party  formed  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  they  were 
to  some  extent  protected  from  the  direct  fire  of  the  Confederates. 
The  troops  moved  up  the  hill  in  a  magnificent  manner,  but  the 
withering  fire  of  the  enemy  was  so  destructive  and  the  obstacle 
presented  by  the  abatis  and  palisading  so  great,  that  th>ywere 
compelled  to  fall  back  without  having  accomplished  their  object. 
At  sunset  no  reinforcements  had  arrived  and  Flag-officer  Foote 
had  not  yet  appeared  upon  the  scene  with  the  iron-clads. 

That  night  the  weather  became  intensely  cold  and  before  morn- 
ing a  driving  storm  of  snow  and  sleet  set  in,  causing  the  troops 
who  were  bivouacking  in  line  of  battle  without  tents,  many  with- 
out blankets  and  with  insufficient  food  and  clothing,  to  undergo 
the  keenest  suffering  ;  indeed  in  the  morning  many  of  the  soldiers 
of  both  armies  were  found  frozen  to  death. 

With  the  dawn,  however,  came  the  long  looked  for  reinforce- 
ments under  General  Wallace,  whose  welcome  arrival  was  hailed 
with  shouts  of  joy  and  vociferous  cheers. 

His  command  was  assigned  position  in  the  center  of  the  line  with 
the  exception  of  one  brigade  alloted  to  the  extreme  right. 

During  the  day  heavy  cannonading  was  kept  up  by  the  contend- 
ing armies  and  constant  firing  by  the  sharpshooters. 

At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoou  the  naval  attack,  so  long  and 
eagerly  looked  for,  was  opened  by  the  iron-clads,  and  after  a  se- 
vere engagement  of  nearly  ten  hours,  during  which  the  naval  ves- 
sels were  all  so  much  injured  as  to  have  but  twelveguns  that  could 
be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  rebel  works,  thecommodore  wounded 
and  fifty-four  of  his  men  killed,  Foote  withdrew  his  squadron. 

Had  this  attack  proved  successful  it  was  General  Grant's  inten- 
tion to  attempt  to  carry  the  rebel  intrenchraents  by  a  spirited  as- 
sault of  the  whole  line. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  his  army  was  comprised  almost  en- 
tirely of  new  troops,  raw  recruits  who  had  never  smelled  gun- 
powder, it  will  be  seen  that  Grant  must  have  had  great  confidence 
in  their  soldierly  qualities  to  expect  to  accomplish  so  much  with 
them. 

Grant  went  on  board  the  gunboat  St.  Loui^,  to  consult  with  the 
wounded  commodore,  and  at  Foote's  suggestion,  agreed  to  besiege 
the  fort  until  such  time  as  the  fleet  could  proceed  to  Cairo,  effect 
repairs,  and  return  to  the  scene  of  action. 

It  is  probable  that  this  plan  would  have  been  carried  out,  had 
not  the  rebels  at  this  juncture  assumed  the  aggressive,  and  deter- 
mined to  cut  their  way  out  of  the  trap,  in  which  they  realized  that 
Grant  would  soon  effectually  crush  them. 

With  this  view  they  determined  to  hurl  a  heavy  force  including 
Forrest's  cavalry— an  organization  alluded  to  in  the  opening  chap- 


2i  UNDER   THE   STARS  AND   BARS. 

ter  of  this  story— against  MeClernand,  and  an  equal  number  was 
to  be  thrown  against  the  Federal  center  under  Wallace. 

This  plan  was  a  shrewd  and  masterly  movement  on  their  part, 
for,  in  the  event  of  success,  they  would  force  back  the  right  flank 
and  center,  under  General  Smith,  command  the  left  as  a  pivot,  and 
then  the  whole  invading  army  might  easily  be  routed  or  de- 
stroyed. 

Accordingly,  at  five  o'clock  on  the  following  morning,  ere  the 
half  frozen  Federals  were  astir,  the  Confederate  column,  led  by 
Pillow,  moved  out  with  thirty  guns  to  crush  MeClernand,  just  as 
the  morning  reveille  sounded  in  the  Union  camp. 

The  troops  had  hardly  time  to  spring  to  arms  when  the  crash- 
ing sound  of  musketry  echoed  along  the  line,  approaching  nearer 
and  nearer,  assuring  all  of  the  fact  that  a  sudden  and  serious  at- 
tack had  commenced  on  the  right. 

General  McArthur's  brigade  was  the  first  to  encounter  the  fire 
of  the  fierce  rebel  attacking  lines,  and  soon  the  combat  waxed 
warm  all  along  McClernand's  front ;  the  rebels,  by  force  of  over- 
whelming numbers,,  gradually  pushing  bacK  the  gallant  Union 
forces. 

The  line  of  blue  wavered  and  slowly  fell  back  under  the  impetu- 
ous assaults  of  the  rebels,  when  General  Wallace  opportunely 
came  up  with  reinforcements  from  the  center,  renewing  the  cour- 
age of  the  hard  pressed  troops,  and  for  a  time  holding  the  enemy 
in  check. 

General  Grant,  who  had  spent  the  night  on  board  the  gunboat, 
having  been  advised  by  an  aide  of  the  attack,  appeared  upon  the 
scene  at  about  nine  o'clock,  and  soon  reached  the  point  where  the 
hardest  fighting  had  occurred. 

The  rebels  failing  to  penetrate  the  Federal  lines  were  doggedly 
falling  back  to  the  fort. 

Looking  at  his  disordered  troops,  who  had  just  bore  the  brunt  of 
the  attack,  Grant  observed  : 

"  Which  ever  party  attacks  now  will  whip,  and  the  rebels  will 
have  to  be  very  quick  if  they  beat  me." 

Riding  rapidly  to  the  left,  where  the  troops  that  were  engaged 
in  the  morning's  conflict  were  resting  on  their  arms,  he  ordered  a:i 
immediate  assault. 

At  the  same  time  the  report  was  spread  that  the  rebels,  unable  to 
cut  their  way  out,  were  getting  desperate  at  the  prospect  of  speedy 
defeat. 

As  soon  as  the  troops  caught  this  idea,  they  were  animated  with 
new  courage,  and  forming  into  solid  columns  made  a  grand  rush 
en  masse  toward  the  fort. 

At  the  same  time  the  gunboats  came  into  position,  as  if  about  to 
renew  the  attack,  and  Foole  sent  two  that  had  escaped  serious  in- 
jury near  enough  to  shell  the  rebel  works. 


UNDER  TIIE  STARS  AND    BARS.  25 

Thus  they  kept  up  the  appearance  of  an  attack,  and  materially 
aided  Grant. 

General  Smith  commanded  the  assaulting  column,  which  was 
formed  of  Lauman's  brigade,  the  Second  Iowa  infantry  having  the 
lead. 

Having  arranged  the  troops  in  two  lines,  the  general  told  them 
what  he  expected  them  to  accomplish,  and  taking  his  place  beside 
the  color-bearer,  gave  the  command  : 

"Forward !" 

It  was  nearly  sunset  when  the  brigade  dashed  up  the  steep  hill- 
side toward  the  ridge  where  the  rebels  had  constructed  their  outer 
works. 

A  terrific  fire  met  the  storming  party,  which  mowed  down  their 
lines  with  murderous  precision,  and  caused  the  men  to  waver  for 
a  moment. 

Their  gallant  commander,  however,  by  his  heroic  example, 
urged  them  onward,  and  with  a  wild  cheer  they  scrambled  over 
the  obstructions  and  drove  the  rebels  at  tne  point  of  the  bayonet 
from  their  outer  line  of  intrenchments,  over  which  the  flag  of  our 
Union  was  soon  floating  gracefully  amid  the  billows  of  battle 
smoke. 

How  the  cheers  rang  out  on  that  cold,  clear  wintry  night,  as  the 
colors  of  the  noble  regiment  at  the  head  of  the  Union  lines  were 
planted  upon  the  crest  of  the  ridge  environing  the  enemy's  in- 
trenchments. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  magnificent  charges  of  the  war  and  af- 
forded Grant  the  key  to  the  rebel  position. 

In  the  meantime  Wallace  and  McCleruand,  by  systematic  ma- 
neuvers and  effective  fighting,  had  regained  all  the  ground  lost  in 
the  morning. 

One  hour  of  daylight  would  have  sufficed  to  enable  Grant  to  as- 
sault and  carry  the  fort,  but  night  now  closed  in  upon  the  scene. 
However,  on  Sunday  morning  when  the  troops  were  awakened  for 
the  first  assault,  a  white  flag  fluttered  from  the  walls  of  Fort  Don- 
elson. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BATTLE     OP     SHILOH. 

After  the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson,  the  rebels  evacuated  Nashville, 
and  within  three  days  the  flag  of  freedom  fluttered  from  its  city 
hall  dome,  and  was  borne  triumphantly  through  its  streets. 

Bowling  Green,  rendered  untenable  by  the  same  calamity,  was 
abandoned,  and  early  in  March,  Polk  was  obliged  from  the  same 
cause  to  evacuate  Columbus  and  take  up  a  new  position  on  Island 
No.  10  on  the  Mississippi  river. 

As  these  important  strongholds  of  secession  were  one  after  an- 
other reduced  in  rapid  succession,  the   gratification  of  the  loval 


26  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

people  of  the  North  was  unbounded  and  their  confidence  in  the 
superiority  of  our  arms  unlimited. 

On  the  first  of  March  the  Federal  army  was  moved  back  from 
the  Cumberland  river  to  the  Tennessee,  and  an  expedition  down 
that  River  toward  Corinth,  Mississippi,  determined  upon  by  Hal- 
leck,  then  in  command. 

On  the  fourth,  Grant  being  at  Fort  Henry,  received  orders  from 
Halleck  to  place  General  C.  F  Smith  in  command  of  the  expedi- 
tion and  remain  himself  at  Fort  Henry. 

Smith  accordingly  assumed  command  of  the  troops  in  the  field 
and  selected  Pittsburg  Landing  as  a  favorable  base  of  operations 
against  Corinth,  a  position  of  great  strategic  importance  and  the 
key  to  the  whole  railway  system  of  communication  between  the 
states  of  Tennessee  and  Mississippi. 

Pittsburg  Lauding  was  twenty  miles  distant  from  the  rebel  posi- 
tion on  the  west  side  of  the  Tennessee  was  flanked  on  the  left 
by  a  deep  ravine  and  on  both  sides  by  Smoke  and  Lick  creeks, 
which  would  compel  the  rebels  to  attack  in  front  the  distance 
between  the  creeks  being  three  miles.* 

The  landing  was  protected  by  the  gunboats  Lexington  and 
Tyler,  and  Buell'a  army  of  the  Ohio  moved  forward  was  to  rein- 
force the  Army  of  the  Tennessee. 

The Indiana  regiment  to  which  our  hero  and  Percy  Powers 

were  attached,  accompanied  General  Smith's  troops  on  the  mem- 
oral  expedition. 

Reaching  Savannah,  a  village  six  miles  distant  from  Pittsburg 
Landing,  they  went  into  camp  there  about  the  first  of  April. 

Major  Faulkner  looked  unusually  well,  bearing  the  fatigues  of 
the  campaign  with  remarkable  endurance. 

As  for  Powers,  he  was  the  same  light-hearted  soldier,  taking 
things  as  coolly  as  ever. 

Shortly  after  reaching  camp  the  troops  were  cheered  by  the  ar- 
rival of  General  Grant,  who,  temporarily  relieved  of  command, 
was,  to  their  great  satisfaction,  reinstated. 

All  day  Saturday,  Albert  Sidney  Johnston,  commander  of  the 
Confederate  armies,  was  busily  engaged  massing  his  troops  for  the 
coming  fray. 

Concentrating  them  into  three  corps,  he  swung  them  into  line 
within  musket-range  of  the  Federal  pickets,  and  yet,  strange  to 
say,  no  alarm  or  apprehension  was  created. 

Before  midnight  every  regiment  of  Johnstou's  army,  fully  sixty 
thousand  strong,  was  in  battle  line. 

As  daylight  succeeded  a  dark,  damp  night,  these  sixty  thousand 
Confederates  moved  forward  in  one  mighty  wave,  sweepiug  on  up 
to  the  very  verge  of  the  Federal  camps  before  a  gun  was  fired. 

The  battlefield  of  Pittsburg  Landing  or  Shiloh— for  by  both 
names  it  appears  to  be  equally  well  known — extended  back  three 

*Camp-signs  of  General  Grant,  page  12, 


27 
UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BABB. 

miles  from  the  landing,  through  a  thickly  wooded  ami  broken 
country,  interspersed  with  patches  of  onltivation  and  a  few ^  rude 
buildings,  among  which  stood  near  the  junction  of  the  Connth 
Purdy  roads  the  Shiloh  church,  a  primitive  log ,*™*™ 
from  which  the  sanguinary  field  derived  the  name  apphed  to  it  by 

thThCe°SnTon  army  faced  mainly  to  the  south  and  west,  the  line  ex- 
tending from  Lick  creek  on  the  south,  to  Smoke  creek  on  the 
north.  . 

The  right  of  this  line  was  commanded  by  Sherman  somewhat  in 
advance  and  across  the  main  Corinth  road;  on  his  left,  but  some- 
what retired,  McClernand's  command  was  posted;  next  Prentiss 
was  advanced,  and  on  his  left,  commanding  a  detached  brigade  of 
Sherman's  division  and  covering  the  crossing  at  Lick  creek,   was 

Stuart. 

Smith's  division,  commanded  by  W.  H.  L.  Wallace-that .gallant 
old  soldier  being  confined  to  his  bed  at  Savannah-was  with  Hurl- 
bert's  command  in  the  rear,  aud  -ear  the  landing,  acting  as  the 
reserves  to  alternately  support  ttie  right  and  left  wing  of  the  army, 
as  occasion  required. 

It  was  with  the  sixth  division,  under  General  Lew  Wallace  at 
Crump  Lauding,  that  our  friends  were  at  the  opening  of  the 
battle. 

When  the  Confederates  attacked  the  Federals  advanced  position 
on  Sunday  morning,  the  surprise  was  most  complete. 

Fully  two-thirds  of  the  Federals  in  these  two  divisions  were  still 
asleep  when  the  crash  of  battle  first  became  audible. 

The  result  was  a  panic,  which  ended  in  a  helter-skelter  rush  as  a 
terror-stricken  mob  of  half  dressed  men  broke  and  fled  back  to 
the  rivei  to  carry  the  panic  into  the  camps  beyond. 

Sherman  had  barely  time  to  form  one  brigade  of  his  division 
into  line  of  battle,  and  this  was  cut  down  and  engulfed  by  the  re- 
sistless wave  of  gray  without  a  halt. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  combat  Major  Faulkner  received 
orders  to  report  at  once  to  General  Grant. 

Hastening  to  the  general's  headquarters  in  a  log  cabin  at  the  top 
of  a  hill  overlooking  the  field,  he  was  commanded  to  bear  a  dis- 
patch to  Sherman,  and  arrived  just  as  the  rebels  were  forcing 
their  way  through  his  lines. 

The  fighting  at  this  point  became  terrific.  Seeing  the  Federals 
at  the  front  falling  back  so  rapidly  that  the  fugitives  balked 
every  attempt  of  the  regiments  in  the  rear  to  form  in  battle  line, 
Faulkner  drew  his  sword,  and  spurring  his  steed  fearlessly  through 
the  smoke,  assisted  greatly  in  rallying  the  demoralized  soldiers. 

After  the  gallant  action,  he  galloped  back  to  his  own  command, 
which  he  rejoined  uninjured. 

Johnston  felt  that  if  he  could   succeed  in  overwhelming  Sher- 


28  UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS. 

man  and  McClernand,  the  Battle  of  Shiloh  would  be  decided  in 
his  favor  before  noon. 

The  exultant  Confederates  swept  right  up  in  solid  battle  lines, 
determined  to  drive  all  before  them,  but  they  were  repulsed. 

The  wave  receded  but  to  come  again  and  again,  and  every  man 
in  gray  fought  with  the  ferocity  of  a  devil  incarnate. 

Ever  and  anon  the  heads  of  charging  columns  bioke  through 
the  Federal  lines,  but  only  to  be  surrounded  and  made  prisoners. 

The  Federal  artillery  mowed  down  the  attacking  troops  by  the 
score,  yet  they  came  on  with  a  resistless  rush. 

At  noon  the  Union  divisions  had  been  rolled  back  at  every  point, 
and  the  shore  of  the  Tennessee  was  lined  with  enough  skulkers  to 
form  two  brigades. 

All  through  the  afternoon  the  contending  armies  continued  to 
grapple  on  the  bloody  field,  and  night  found  the  rebels  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Federal  camps,  and  the  Federals  crushed  and  apparent- 
ly defeated ;  their  shattered  lines  completely  crowded  back  to  the 
river. 

At  early  dawn  on  Monday  the  Federals  changed  their  tactics. 

They  posted  themselves  in  the  thick  woods  and  behind  natural 
cover,  and  to  reach  them  the  Confederates  would  be  obliged  to 
cross  the  open  corn  fields  and  plains  covered  with  pines  too  small 
to  efford  protection. 

General  Buell's  army,  augmented  by  Wallace's  division  from 
Crump's  Landing,  arrived  at  about  four  o'clock  Sunday  afternoon, 
and  took  position  on  Sherman's  right. 

Major  Faulkner's  regiment  was  with  the  latter  division.  When 
they  received  orders  to  march  from  Crump's  Landing,  Frank 
hastily  mounted  his  horse,  took  his  place  in  advance,  and  the 
troops  pressed  gallantly  along  as  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  the  roads 
would  permit,  the  regimental  band  pla3Ting  the  "Star  Spangled 
Banner,"  which  martial  music  roused  their  enthusiasm  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  patriotism. 

Leaving  camp  Colonel  Watson  gave  the  order  to  carry  arms  at 
will. 

The  march  was  over  a  rough  road,  deeply  rutted  in  some  places, 
partially  covered  with  rank,  wiry  grass  and  fully  two  feet  deep 
in  other  spots  with  soft,  white  sand,  which  rose  in  stifling  clouds, 
and  filled  the  face,  neck  and  clothing  of  the  soldiers  with  dirt. 

The  battlefield  was  reached,  as  we  have  stated,  at  four  o'clock 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  but  the  troops  did  not  go  into  action  until 
the  following  morning. 

Having  secured  a  favorable  position,  the  battle  of  Monday 
opened. 

The  —  Indiana-regiment  was  deployed  as  skirmishers,  making  a 
splendid  line  and  advancing  upon  the  enemy  with  commendable 
spirit. 

An  Ohio  battery  was  stationed  in  the  rear  of  the  skirmish  lines, 


UNDER   THE   STARS  AND  BARS  M 

while  supporting  it  were  three  regiments  of  iufautry  and  two 
companies  of  cavalry. 

The  — Indiana  opened  with  a  spirited  running  fire  and  disap- 
peared in  the  thick  brush  of  the  woods. 

A  Confederate  battery  suddenly  wheeled  into  position,  fired  a 
few  rounds,  thou  limbered  up  and  was  quickly  withdrawn. 

The  Confederates  then  moved  forward,  and  a  sharp  advance  was 
made  which  brought  them  into  the  open  corn-field,  their  heavy, 
massed  columns  moving  at  a  double-quick. 

Two  Ohio  batteries  iustautly  opened  upon  them,  and  swept  them 
with  a  maelstrom  of  death.  Their  lines  wavered,  broke,  vanished, 
and  when  the  smoke  lifted  the  field  was  crowded  with  dead. 

The  brigades  of  Chalmers  and  Jackson  were  brought  forward  to 
reinforce  them  and  massed  as  a  wedge  to  drive  back  and  split  the 
center  of  the  Federals. 

Atone  o'clock  the  entire  line  on  both  sides  was  fiercely  engaged. 

The  rebel  line  surged  forward  like  a  mighty  stone  wall,  standing 
the  crash  of  destruction  like  an  iron-clad  vessel,  and  men  looked 
straight  at  death  without  flinching  as  they  steadily  advanced  face 
to  face  with  fate. 

The  roar  of  cauuou  and  musketry  was  terrific,  and  without  in- 
termission from  the  center  to  a  point  extending  half  way  down  the 
left  wing. 

The  rebels  made  a  desperate  charge  on  the  Fourteenth  Ohio  bat- 
tery, which  not  being  sufficiently  supported  by  infantry,  fell  into 
their  hands. 

Another  severe  fight  for  the  possession  of  the  guns  of  the  Fifth 
Ohio  battery  occurred,  and  the  Confederates  succeeded  in  taking 
three  of  them. 

Again  and  again  the  gray  lines  with  invincible  courage  charged 
the  Federal  position. 

A  billow  of  flame  rolled  along  the  Federal  front,  the  same  terri- 
ble roar  and  mighty  crash,  and  the  lines  of  gray  melted  away  and 
the  dead  lay  so  thickly  that  the  living  could  scarcely  pick  their 
way  through  them. 

Johuston  hurried  forward  br.gades  to  their  support,  and  placed 
them  to  overlap  the  Federal  position. 

Meanwhile  the  Union  gunboats  on  the  river  shelled  the  woods 
occupied  by  the  Confederates  with  unceasing  vigor,  and  scattered 
death  aud  destruction  among  them. 

These  heavy  shells  tore  great  gaps  and  mowed  immense  swathes 
in  the  thickly  interlocked  trees,  exploding  among  the  struggling 
horde  of  rebels  with  dire  calamity. 

The  accession  of  Buell's  army  nearly  doubled  the  Federal  force, 
and  under  its  vigorous  fighting  the  Confederates  were  soon  forced 
to  give  way. 

Their  commander,  Albert  Kidney  Johnston,  having  been  mor- 
tally wounded  in  the  first  day's  fight,    Beauregard  assumed  com- 


30  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

maud ;  but  under  his  direction  the  rebels  begau  rapidly  to  lose 
ground,  so  that  Beauregard  finally,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  second 
day,  concentrated  all  his  forces  upon  the  Union  left  in  the  vain 
hope  of  carrying  the  landing,  which  point  had  been  almost  in  pos- 
session of  the  rebels  on  the  previous  evening ;  but  his  terrific  as- 
sault was  gallantly  repulsed  by  Nelson  till  all  the  lost  ground  was 
regained  by  the  Federals. 

By  four  o'clock  Beauregard  saw  the  uselessness  of  any  further 
efforts,  and  reluctantly  gave  orders  for  the  army  to  retreat  to  Cor- 
inth. 

The  Federals,  exhausted  by  wearisome  marching  and  furious 
fighting  did  not  feel  disposed  to  pursue,  but  bivouacked  that  night 
on  the  field  of  the  Waterloo  of  the  Western  campaign. 

In  the  last  charge  of  the  Confederates  at  Shiloh,  Major  Faulkner 
received  a  minie-ball  through  the  left  arm  just  above  the  elbow, 
and  at  the  same  moment  his  horse  becoming  unmanagable  he  was 
thrown  to  the  ground  and  run  over  by  two  sections  of  artillery 
which  were  being  rapidly  brought  into  action,  and  in  addition  to 
his  wound  sustained  a  severe  fracture  of  both  legs. 

All  night  long  in  a  cold  drizzly  rain  which  ensued,  he  lay  upon 
the  bloody  field  suffering  untold  agonies,  no  one  near  to  hear  or 
heed  his  cry  for  succor. 

The  next  morning,  however,  he  was  found  by  his  friend  Percy 
Powers,  who  had  spent  most  of  the  night  among  the  dead  and 
wounded  searching  for  him,  and  conveyed  to  the  hospital  at  Savan- 
nah for  treatment,  where,  being  of  a  vigorous  constitution  and 
under  skillful  care  he  eventually  recovered,  though  it  was  some 
time  before  he  had  the  free  use  of  his  limbs. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SHOT  DOWN. 

After  his  recovery  from  the  wounds  received  at  Shiloh,  Major 
Frank  Faulkner,  whose  valor  was  greatly  admired,  was  tendered 
the  colonelcy  of  an  Indiana  cavalry  regiment,  which  he  graciously 
accepted.  His  friend,  Percy  Powers,  was,  through  his  influence, 
appointed  major  in  the  same  command,  and,  naturally,  the  two 
young  officers  were  constantly  together.  Their  regiment  was  sent 
up  to  guard  an  important  point  on  theRentueky  river  near  Perry  - 
ville. 

The  country  was  infested  with  bushwhackers,  Confederate  sol- 
diers, stragglers  and  guerrillas.  In  fact,  the  worst  type  of  rebels 
held  possession  of  the  woods  and  villages  all  along  the  river  bank, 
where  they  would  lie  in  ambush  and  oftentimes  sally  forth  when 
opportunity  presented  to  commit  their  deeds  of  depredation  upon 
the  terrified  inhabitants. 

Many  a  lively  chase  the  cavalry  had  after  these  desperadoes. 

On  one  occasion  they  encountered  quite  a  body  of  rebel  troop- 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  31 

era  near  Glen  wood,  and  after  a  sharp  skirmish  of  twenty  minutes' 
duration,  managed  to  drive  them  across  the  river  in  the  direction 
of  the  mountains. 

Pursuing  them  all  the  next  day  they  followed  them  up  toward 
a  rugged  path  which  wound  around  the  side  of  the  mountain, 
which,  being  covered  with  sharp  stone,  bowlders  and  fragments  of 
rock,  rendered  traveling  a  slow  and  tedious  process. 

Into  this  rough  path  the  cavalry  drove  the  retreating  rebels, 
who,  on  discovering  how  neatly  they  had  been  caught,  determined 
to  make  a  stand  and  risk  the  chances  of  a  skirmish  rather  than 
attempt  the  perilous  passage  of  the  rocky  path. 

Accordingly,  bringiDg  their  pieces  to  their  shoulders,  the  Confed- 
erates sat  on  their  jaded  horses  with  eyes  on  the  alert,  awiting  the 
approach  of  their  persistent  pursuers. 

The  gallant  Federals,  headed  by  Colonel  Faulkner,  believing 
that  their  game  was  now  secured,  rushed  fearlessly  upon  them, 
saber  and  pistol  in  hand,  for  the  final  overpowering  grapple. 

Crash  came  the  volley.  A  sheet  of  flame  burst  from  a  score  of 
carbines,  muskets  and  pistols  of  the  rebel  troopers,  under  which 
four  of  the  boys  in  blue  tumbled  nerveless  from  their  saddles. 

Major  Powers,  who  was  beside  Colonel  Faulkner,  clutched  his 
forehead,  which  was  covered  with  blood,  and  fell  back  into  our 
hero's  arms. 

"My  soul !  exclaimed  the  colonel,  "  are  you  badly  hurt,  Percy  ?" 
but  the  young  man  had  swooned. 

Faulkner  turned  just  in  time  to  avoid  a  shot  from  one  of  the 
guerrillas,  who,  having  reloaded,  covered  the  colonel  with  his 
weapon  and  let  drive. 

Quick  as  thought,  however,  a  bullet  from  Frank's  revolver 
dropped  the  rebel  in  death's  throes. 

Quickly  closing  in  upon  the  party  the  Federal  troopers  succeed- 
ed in  disarming  and  taking  the  survivors,  some  twenty  in  number, 
prisoners. 

At  his  request,  Frank  and  the  surgeon,  Mortimer  Clancy,  were 
left  with  Major  Powers,  whom  they  conveyed  to  a  deserted  hut 
not  far  distant  for  immediate  treatment. 

Dr.  Clancy  did  not  at  first  entertain  the  slightest  hopes  of  the 
young  man's  recovery.  A  critical  examination  revealed  the  fact, 
however,  that  although  the  bullet  had  penetrated  the  frontal  bone 
it  had  imbedded  itself  in  the  outward  tissues  of  the  brain,  and  had 
not,  as  was  at  first  supposed,  lodged  in  that  region. 


Let  us  return  to  Art  Arnold,  the  coward  and  traitor. 

The  Confederates  with  whom  he  was  forced  to  cast  his  lofr,  as 
before  observed,  fled  to  the  fastnesses  of  the  Cumberland  mount- 
ains. 

On  the  evening    of    the  day    after  their  defeat,  they  reached  a 


32  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS. 

place  which  they  decided  would  suit  them  for  a  camp,  and  immed^ 
iately  proceeded  to  bivouac  there. 

Arnold,  much  against  his  inclination,  was  compelled  to  split 
wood,  carry  water,  and  assist  in  erecting  tents;  and  so  reluctantly 
did  he  perform  the  onerous  duties  required  of  him  as  to  elicit  many 
a  kick  and  brutal  curse. 

After  a  day  or  two,  however,  he  gradually  became  accustomed 
to  his  rough  treatment,  inasmuch  as  he  saw  that  he  was  not  the 
only  one  thus  persecuted. 

On  one  occasion,  however,  his  taskmaster,  Corporal  Hodges, 
picked  upon  him  so  relentlessly  as  to  provoke  his  wrath. 

He  gnashed  his  teeth  with  rage  at  the  taunts  the  rebel  heaped 

upon  him,  and,  answering  back,  drew  upon  him  the  fellow's  fury. 

Furious  with  rage  the  corporal  struck  a  heavy  blow  at  Arnold, 

which,  had  it  taken  effect,  must  have  spoiled  his  looks  for  many 

a  day. 

That  worthy,  however,  stepped  nimbly  back,  and  with  the  skill 
of  an  experienced  boxer  knocked  aside  the  corporal's  fist,  which 
so  enraged  him  that  he  threw  himself  upon  Arnold  with  the  fe- 
rocity of  a  tiger. 

Blow  after  blow  they  rained  upon  each  other  until  separated  b7 
a   young    captain— Douglas    by    name— who  interposed    between 
them. 
"Enough,"  he  cried,  in  a  voice  of  thunder. 

"  It  was  all  his  fault,'"  stammered  the  corporal,  wiping  the  blood 
from  his  nose,  and  adding,  "  We  were  only  in  fun,  anyway." 
"  Deuced  queer  fun,"  returned  the  captain. 

"  Innocent  amusement,  sir,"  suggested  Arnold,  holding  a  cold 
stone  to  a  swelling  optic  as  he  spoke. 

"I  hope  there  will  be  no  more  of  this  innocent  amusement  then," 
responded  Captain  Douglas,  walking  off. 

After  this  episode,  Arnold  enjoyed  much  more  freedom,  for  the 
Confederates  began  to  have  a  wholesome  fear  of  his  fists. 

In  about  a  month  he  was  promoted  to  sergeant,  and  began  to 
feel  quite  at  ease  in  his  new  position. 

All  the  while  his  mind  was  busy  plotting  to  secure  possession  of 
Frank  Faulkner,  remove  him  from  all  possible  means  of  ever  cross- 
ing  the  path  of  Reiuhart  again ;  which,  once  accomplished,  he 
would  lose  no  time  in  deserting,  and  hastening  home  to  Norwood. 
In  order  to  disguise  himself  as  much  as  possible,  Arnold  allowed 
his  beard  and  side  whiskers  to  grow,  and  in  the  four  months  that 
he  had  spent  among  the  rebels  thus  far,  his  appearance  had  greatly 
changed. 

On  the  day  that  Colonel  Faulkner  had  the  encounter  with  the 
troopers,  Sergeant  Arnold  and  a  squad  of  ten  men  were  ranging 
about  that  very  same  mountain,  and,  attracted  by  the  sound  of 
firearms,  reached  the  scene  of  the  skirmish  just  in  time  to  see  the 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS.  33 

Federal  troopers  retiring,  and  to  observe  Colonel  Faulkner  and  the 
doctor  bearing  the  wounded  major  toward  the  deserted  hut. 

"  Lay  low,  boys !"  exclaimed  Arnold,  a  gleam  of  triumph  in  his 
eyes. 

As  soon  as  the  Federal  troopers  had  withdrawn— they  were  to 
bivouac  half  a  mile  distant— the  Confederates  under  Arnold's  di- 
rection made  a  sudden  dash,  and  before  Frank  was  aware  of  any 
thing  unusual  transpiring  had  completely  surrounded  the  hut. 

"  Surrender,  you  Yankee  hounds!"  exclaimed  Arnold,  covering 
Frank  and  Doctor  Clancy  with  his  revolvers. 

As  there  was  no  help  for  it  both  meu  looked  blankly  into  each 
other's  face  and  quietly  surrendered.  Having  secured  their  weap* 
ons  Arnold  coolly  remarked  that  they  could  not  be  encumbered 
with  the  wounded  man,  and  accordingly,  with  a  brutal  laugh,  be- 
gan discharging  his  revolver  at  the  inanimate  form  of  Major 
Powers. 

With  a  spring  like  a  tiger  Frank  clutched  the  ruffian  by  the 
throat  and  bore  him  to  ground  half  strangled. 

The  Confederates,  however,  quickly  came  to  his  assistance  and 
dragged  our  struggling  hero  by  main  force  from  his  adversary. 

"  Curse  you!"  hissed  Arnold  fiercely,  gasping  for  breath. 

"  Who  are  you,  cowardly  villain  ?    Speak ! ' '  cried  Faulkner. 

"  Ho,  ho,  my  boy,  then  you  do  not  recognize  me?" 

"  I  do  recognize  you  now,  you  are  Arnold,  coward,  skulker  and 
traitor." 

"Oh,  am  I?"  he  hissed,  biting  his  lips  with  rage,  "anyway  I 
mean  to  kill  you,"  he  added,  cocking  his  revolver  deliberately. 

"Oh,  for  Heaven's  sake,"  pleaded  Dr.  Clancy,  "spare  his  life. 
Are  you  human,  or  are  you  a  fiend?" 

"Spare  him?"  queried  Arnold,  with  a  mocking  laugh,  "  not  I," 
saying  which  he  raised  his  revolver  and  advanced  upon  Frank,  ex- 
claiming, "Die!" 

As  he  pulled  the  trigger  however,  our  hero  dodged  quickly 
aside  and  the  bullet  passed  harmlessly  by  his  head,  then  by  a  pow- 
erful effort  he  grasped  the  weapon  and  wrenched  it  from  the  assas- 
sin's hand  quickly  turning  it  upon  him. 

"  Now  my  tine  fellow  !"  he  exclaimed,  "  the  boot  is  on  the  other 
leg.  Unless  you  order  all  these  Johnnies  off,  I'll  shoot  you  down 
as  mercilessly  as  you  would  have  served  me  a  moment  ago." 

Trembling  in  every  limb  Arnold  did  as  required  and  then  found 
himself  in  the  most  unenviable  position  of  his  life.  A  prisoner  in 
the  hands  of  his  former  captain,  and  all  his  treachery  exposed., 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CAPTURE   OF  COLONEL    FAULKNER. 

Frank  was  not  destined,  however,  to  hold  his  prisoner,  for  sud- 
denly the  rebel  squad  outside  made  a  rush  upon  him  and  before  he 


M  UXDEE  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

was  aware  of  what  was  transpiring  the  tables  were  turned  and  he 
was  seized  and  held  in  a  grasp  of  iron. 

"Hurry,  men!"  exclaimed  Arnold  with  a  fiendish  chuckle, 
"  leave  the  other  two  Yankees  here,  we  only  want  this  fellow— he's 
a  cunnel,  nothing  less." 

Accordingly  the  rebels  hurried  our  hero  away  despite  his  strug- 
gles and  soon  conveyed  him  to  their  camp  behind  the  mountains. 

With  a  great  deal  of  pride,  Arnold  marched  him  up  before  the 
commander  of  the  Confederates.  That  dignitary,  Colonel  Greyson 
by  name,  contrary  to  his  expectations  received  him  with  a  degree 
of  consideration  which  he  hardly  expected.  After  a  pleasant  in- 
terview by  the  Confederate  he  was  placed  in  a  rude  log  shanty, 
and  two  soldiers  detailed  to  guard  him. 

That  night  Arnold'wrote  his  friend  Reinhart  as  follows  : 

Camp  op  C.  S.  A.,  in  Mountains,  Ky.  ) 
July  6,  1882.  [ 

"  Friend  Reinhart.— I  believe  I  can  now  claim  the  reward  of 
one  thousand  dollars  which  you  promised  me  in  the  event  of  the 
success  of  our  plot ;  as  I  can  confidently  assert  that  Frank  Faulk- 
ner will  never  cross  your  path  again.  We  took  him  prisoner  yes- 
terday, and  this  evening  iu  trying  to  effect  his  escape  by  swimming 
the  stream  which  separates  our  camp  from  the  section  of  country 
ranged  over  by  his  troopers,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  shot 
and  killed.  This  is  positive!  so  you  need  entertain  no  fears  of  his 
ever  crossing  your  path  again.  Wishing  you  success  in  your  love 
affair— yours  as  ever,  Arthur  Arnold." 

Now  of  course  this  letter,  as  the  reader  is  aware,  was  a  falsehood 
as  far  as  it  stated  the  death  of  Faulkner,  but  Arnold  felt  so  sure  of 
disposing  of  him  that  he  did  not  hesitate  to  anticipate  it  in  this 
manner. 

As  soon  as  he  received  the  letter  Reinhart  published  the  news  to 
the  Norwood  community  in  the  Daily  Bulletin,  writing  at  the 
same  time  a  brief  obituary  embodying  the  highest  enconiums.  As 
Frank's  mother  had  not  heard  from  him  since  the  Battle  of  Shiloh, 
for  the  reason  that  Reinhart  had  deliberately  intercepted  his  let- 
ters and  destroyed  them,  she  was  forced  to  believe  something  had 
happened  to  him,  and  when  his  death  was  thus  announced,  she 
was  nearly  distracted. 

*  Edith,  too,  was  completely  prostrated  with  grief  when  she  heard 
of  the  sad  fate  of  her  lost  lover,  whose  brilliant  military  career  she 
had  thus  far  watched  with  the  greatest  pride;  though  never  by 
word  or  deed  since  the  parting  on  tuat  memorable  summer  eve  had 
she  intimated  the  fact  that  she  still  felt  an  interest  in  him. 

Reinhart,  who  was  constantly  forcing  his  attentions  upon  her, 
could  not  fail  to  observe  the  effect  that  the  announcement  of 
Faulkner's  death  had  upon  her,  and  endeavored  to  his  utmost  to 
calm  her. 

He  was  very  kind  to  her  in  her  affliction,  but  for  weeks  she 
could  not  get  over  the  shock. 

She  would  sit  for  hours  brooding  over  her  misfortune ;  or  seated 


UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS.  % 

at  the  piano  she  would  play  aud  sing  in  tender  pathos,  "  Tender 
and  true." 

After  awhile,  however,  so  kiud  and  attentive  was  Reinhart,  that 
he  managed  by  degrees  as  time  elapsed  and  the  poignancy  of  her 
grief  wore  off,  to  ingratiate  himself  in  her  good  graces,  until 
fiually,  to  his  great  satisfaction,  he  found  that  his  suit  for  the 
hand  of  the  fair  Edith  was  a  pronounced  success. 

Although  as  yet  no  engagement  existed  between  them,  he  flat- 
tered himself  that  that  would  all  come  iu  due  course  of  time. 

The  loss  of  her  son  completely  prostrated  Mrs.  Faulkner,  and  it 
required  many  mouths  of  skillful  medical  aid  to  restore  her  to  an 
ordinary  degree  of  health. 


Dr.  Clancy  left  the  wounded  man  for  a  few  moments,  and  hast- 
ening to  the  place  where  the  cavalry  had  prepared  to  bivouac, 
told  his  story  as  quickly  as  possible. 

The  men  felt  the  deepest  chagrin  when  they  heard  of  the  capt- 
ure of  their  commander,  aud  at  once  followed  the  doctor  to  the 
hut  where  he  had  left  his  patient,  Major  Powers. 

Reaching  this  elevation,  they  spread^their  line  aloug  the  ridge, 
and  were  thus  enabled  to  get  a  view  of  the  Coufederate  camp  be- 
yond, which  was  situated  in  a  dark  mass  of  woods. 

The  forest  was  dense,  and  through  it  ran  a  silvery  stream,  which 
ebbed  toward  the  Cumberland. 

This  stream  was  made  fordable  by  a  rude  bridge,  formed  by  the 
trunk  of  a  prostrate  tree. 

At  the  further  side  of  this  stream,  Colonel  Greyson's  men  were 
posted  iu  full  force,  securely  ambushed  by  a  thick  growth  of  trees, 
bushes  and  shrubbery. 

The  trees  interlaced  each  other  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render 
the  woods  almost  impassable. 

The  day  was  unusually  fine,  the  air  being  singularly  cool  and  in-, 
vigoratiug. 

Dr.  Clancy  stood  beside  his  horse,  the  bridle  thrown  carelessly 
over  his  arm,  engaged  in  viewing  the  enemy  through  a  field-glass. 

"Three  hundred  strong,  I  should  say,"  ho  remarked,  addressing 
Major  Powers,  who  lay  beside  him  upou  a  canvas  stretcher,  with 
his  head  bandaged  up. 

He  took  the  glass,  aud  after  a  careful  view  returned  it,  saying: 

"  Ay,  they  are  that,  aud  nearly  all  determined  and  desperate 
in  en." 

"  I  think  I  can  recognize  the  prisoner  among  them,"  exclaimed 
Clancy,  after  scanning  the  rebel  force  critically,  "for  see,  they  are 
leading  a  man  whose  arms  are  apparently  pinioned  at  his  sides. 

"  Can  you  make  out  his  features?"  asked  Powers,  anxiously. 

"  No  ;  he's  too  far  away  ;  but  I  feel  certain  he  is  our  colonel. 

"  Let  me  take  another  look,  please,"  observed  Powers. 


36  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

"  Certainly,"  assented  Dr.  Clancy,  handing  him  the  glass,  and 
stepping  back  to  raise  and  support  him  while  he  looked. 

One  swift  glance  seemed  to  satisfy  him  as  to  the  man's  identity. 

14  He  is  indeed  Frank  Faulkner.  Call  Captain  Winters  here  to 
me." 

The  officer  whose  presence  was  desired,  was  summoned,  and  he 
approached,  saluting. 

"  Captain,  dispatch  Lieutenant  Elwell  and  ten  men  to  our  camp 
for  a  couple  of  howitzers,  We  will  have  to  be  ready  for  emergen- 
cies.   Also  send  Nelse  Stuart  to  me." 

Captain  Winters  bowed,  and  withdrew. 

Stuart,  whom  our  readers  will  remember,  having  been  intro- 
duced in  a  preceding  chapter,  soon  appeared,  raising  his  cap  and 
pulling  down  his  forelock  in  obeisance. 

"Nelse,  I  have  a  dangerous  mission  for  you  to  perform.  Do  you 
think  you  are  equal  to  a  hard  task?" 

"Don't  know;  but  I  guess  I  am ;  I  ain't  afeered  of  nothing  liv- 
ing ;  all  that  scares  me  is  ghosts." 

"That  being  the  case,  you'll  do.  Now  I  want  you  to  disguise 
yourself  as  a  negro,  take  a  basket  on  your  arm  and  go  over  yonder 
into  the  rebel  camp.  You  can  put  a  lot  of  apples  in  the  basket  and 
pretend  to  be  peddling  them;  but  the  object  of  your  visit  will  be 
to  spy  around  and  manage  to  slip  a  note  which  I  will  furnish  you 
into  the  hands  of  the  colonel,  their  prisoner.  Do  you  under- 
stand ?" 

"You  bet  I  do." 

"  Well,  if  you  succeed,  you  are  a  corporal  from  this  day  for- 
ward." 

"  Bet  your  life,  Major  Powers,  I  shall  succeed !" 

"Well,  get  ready  to  go  as  soon  as  possible." 

Nelse  withdrew,  whereupon  at  Powers'  dictation,  Dr.  Clancy 
penciled  the  following  lines  on  a  leaf  of  his  note-book  : 

Do  not  despair ;  we  are  not  far  off ;  wait  until  night  and  then,  if 
possible,  make  a  dash  ;  we  will  cover  your  flight  with  the  howitz- 
ers. If  no  opportunity  is  afforded,  we  will  devise  something  more 
effective  to-morrow.  Clancy. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  minutes,  certainly  not  over  fifteen,  Nelse 
reappeared  grinning  like  a  genuine  contraband  and  transformed 
into  a  negro  as  black  as  the  ace  of  spades. 

He  approached  Major  Powers  with  that  amusing,  slouching  gate, 
peculiar  to  the  Southern  negro. 

His  disguise  was  perfect,  even  to  the  tone  of  his  voice,  and  having 
secured  his  basket  of  apples  and  the  note  he  slouched  down  the 
side  of  the  mountain,  by  a  roundabout  path. 

Anxiously  they  watched  him  from  their  covert  and  finally  saw 
him  cross  the  log  and  answer  the  sentry's  challenge  by  proffering 
him  a  handful  of  apples  which  he  greedily  accepted,  allowing  the 
negro  to  pass. 

Then    by    means    of  the  glass  they  saw  him  surrounded  by  a 


UNI>ER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS.  37 

crowd  of  Confederates  eager  to  purchase  or  appropriate  his  fruit. 
While  they  were  thus  engaged  he  looked  about  him,  and  spying 
the  prisoner,  exclaimed : 
"Golly,  am  dat  a  Yankee  sojer  yous  has  got  dar?" 
"Yes,  Cuffee;  go  up  and  see  him  ;  I'll  wager  you  never  seed  a 
Yank  afore." 

Thinking  to  get  his  attention  distracted  from  the  fruit  which 
they  were  appropriating,  they  allowed  him  to  approach  the  tree. 
With  the  greatest  caution  he  repeated  the  contents  of  the  note 
to  the  prisoner,  for  as  his  hands  were  tied,  an  unusual  thing  among 
soldiers,  the  letter  would  have  been  no  use  to  him ;  then  reassur- 
ing him  of  speedy  success,  he  hurried  away,  his  action  not  even 
being  suspected. 

He  pretended  to  get  into  a  wrangle  about  being  defrauded  out  of 
proper  payment  for  his  apples,  but  after  awhile  withdrew  good- 
humoredly,  and  returning  to  his  friends,  hastened  to  report  the 
success  of  his  visit  to  Major  Powers. 

The  shades  of  night  were  falling  over  cypress  and  cedar.  The 
dark,  blue  dome  of  the  heavens  was  studded  with  innumerable 
bright,  twinkling  stars,  while  a  score  of  crackling  camp-fires  il- 
lumined the  dark  woods  in  which  the  enemy  were  encamped. 

The  Union  troopers  lay  as  silent  as  statutes  upon  the  crest  of  the 
ridge,  anxiously  awaiting  the  anticipated  dash  of  the  prisoner. 

Nelse  Stuart,  having  still  retained  his  disguise,  appeared  before 
Major  Powers  and  volunteered  to  go  over  and  assist  the  colonel  in 
effecting  his  escape. 

To  this  proposition  Powers  readily  assented  and  Nelse,  with  a 
cheerful  haudshake,  all  round  took  his  departure. 

Instead  of  crossing  as  before,  he  swam  the  river  at  a  point  fur- 
ther down  stream  and  landing  in  a  thick,  rank  growth  of  laurel, 
managed  to  elude  the  pickets. 

Cautiously  he  proceeded  to  the  hut  occupied  by  the  prisoner 
which  was  a  little  ways  to  the  left  of  the  Confederate  camp,  where 
to  his  joy  he  perceived  that  the  prison rr  was  only  guarded  by  two 
men. 

Approaching  as  noiselessly  as  possible,  he  was  overjoyed  to  hear 
one  of  the  men  sending  the  other  to  camp  after  some  whisky 
which  he  was  to  steal  from  the  surgeon's  stores. 

"  Hurry  back,  Todd,"  he  heard  the  sentry  say,  "  for  if  anything 
should  happen  during  your  absence,  I  would  be  in  a  deuce  of  a 
fix!" 

As  soon  as  the  man  disappeared  Stuart  moved  in  the  dark 
shadow  of  the  building  as  cautiously  as  possible  and  got  direotly 
behind  the  remaining  sentry. 

Watching  his  opportunity,  Nelse  suddenly  launched  himself  at 
the  mau  with  the  impetuosity  and  fierceness  of  a  Nubian  lion. 

Grasping  him  by  the  throat  he  bore  him  to  the  ground  and 
choked  back  his  cries  until  they  ended  in  a  gurgle  and  gasp. 


■38  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

A  few  minutes  elapsed  and  the  unfortunate  rebel  ceased  to 
struggle— Nelse  had  strangled  him. 

Quickly  drawing  the  body  into  the  bushes,  he  forced  open  the 
door  of  the  hut  by  a  vigorous  dash,  throwing  his  weight  full  upon 
it,  and  then  cut  the  thongs  and  released  the  surprised  captive. 

"Follow  me,  cunnel— this  way,  quick  !  there's  no  time  to  lose!" 
he  exclaimed,  and  seizing  Frank's  hand,  the  two  dashed  through 
the  woods  at  full  speed  toward  the  river. 

Spang— spang— spang !  went  the  musket  of  the  guards  as  they 
discerned  the  forms  of  the  fleeing  men  in  the  starlight. 

Plunging  boldly  into  the  stream,  they  pushed  out  and  swam 
vigorously. 

It  was  a  swim  for  life. 

Already  the  camp  was  aroused,  and  scores  of  rebels  hastened  to 
the  river  bank  to  join  in  the  f  usilade. 

The  angry  buzz  of  bullets,  as  they  whizzed  in  close  proximity, 
served  to  increase  the  speed  of  the  swimmers. 

Despite  Frank's  objections,  Nelse  would  insist  upon  keeping  just 
behind  him  in  order  to  shield  him  from  the  bullets. 

They  had  almost  reached  the  loyal  side,  when  suddenly,  with  a 
groan,  Nelse  threw  up  his  arms  and  fell  back  into  the  water, 
quickly  disappearing  from  sight. 

Poor  fellow,  one  of  the  bullets  had  passed  through  his  brain. 

With  a  feeling  of  intense  sadness,  Frank  managed  to  scramble 
up  the  bank,  and  disappeared  in  the  thicket  with  the  cries  of  the 
rebels  sounding  in  his  ears. 

In  the  uncertain  light  they  had  only  descried  one  man,  and  see- 
ing him  at  length  sink  under  their  merciless  volleys,  thought  they 
had  killed  the  escaping  prisoner. 

Arnold,  who  was  present,  declared  that  he  himself  had  fired  the 
shot  that  fixed  the  Yankee  colonel,  and  he  was  beside  himself  with 
joy  at  the  fate  of  his  hated  victim,  Frank  Faulkner. 

"Now,  I  have  only  to  desert  and  go  back  to  Norwood  and  col, 
lect  my  money,"  he  thought. 

Meanwhile,  Colonel  Faulkner  clambered  up  the  mountain  and 
rejoined  his  friends. 

All  were  overjoyed  at  his  fortunate  escape;  but  at  the  same 
time  felt  deeply  grieved  at  the  sad  fate  of  gallant  Nelse  Stuart. 


CHAPTER  X. 

NEEEIE  stanfieed. 
Calling  Captain  Winters,  Major  powers  directed  him  to  get  the 
two  howitzers  in  readiness  and  send  a  few  rounds  of  solid  shot 
among  the  rebels  assembled  upon  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river; 
meanwhile,  Colonel  Faulkner,  Lieutenants  El  well  and  Blake  ob- 
tained long  range  rifles  and  went  forward  to  secure  a  shot  at  the 
enemy;  Dr.  Clancy,  following  suit,  picked  up  a  rifle  from  a  stack 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  6\) 

of  arms  that  9tood  near  at  hand,  joined  them,  aud  keeping  well 
under  cover  of  the  bushes  and  foliage,  they  picked  their  way  cau- 
tiously down  the  mountain  side. 

Reaching  the  bank  of  the  river,  they  secured  favorable  posi- 
tions behind  a  ledge  ot  rock,  aud  opened  fire  upon  the  rebels, 
their  rifles  cracking  spitefully  on  the  night  air,  and  hurling  con- 
fusion among  the  ranks  of  gray. 

The  sharp,  reverberating  report  of  the  rifled  howitzers  added 
their  sullen  boom  to  the  action  at  this  moment. 

Scampering  quickly  into  the  wo'ods,  the  rebels  withdrew  from 
the  range  of  the  loyal  guns,  leaving  five  of  their  number  prostrate 
upon  the  ground  to  attest  to  their  accurracy. 

Not  being  desirious  of  provoking  a  battle  with  such  a  force  of 
Confederates  as  he  knew  Greyson's  command  consisted  of,  Colonel 
Faulkner  decided  to  withdraw,  and  accordingly  ordered  a  retreat 
to  their  camp  near  Glenwood. 

Reaching  that  place  in  the  gray  of  early  dawn,  they  went  into 
camp,  and  Frank  immediately  dispatched  a  courier  to  Federal 
headquarters  iu  Tennesseee,  for  enough  reinforcements  to  enable 
him  to  make  a  clean  sweep  of  the  rebels  and  bushwhackers  which 
infested  the  region  back  of  Vapor  mountain,  for  such  it  was 
called. 

Fully  a  month  elapsed  before  he  was  accorded  the  troops  de- 
sired, and  during  that  interval,  he  and  Major  Powers,  who  was 
rapidly  convalescing,  roamed  at  will  about  the  country,  frequent- 
ly visiting  Glenwood,  which  had  long  been  deserted  by  the  Con- 
federates. 

One  sultry  August  afternoon  they  paused  at  the  gate  leading  to 
the  extensive  grounds  of  Judge  Stanfield's  mansion,  before  the 
door  of  which  stood  his  charming  daughter,  Nellie,  engaged  in 
culling  a  bouquet  of  fragrant  flowers. 

They  gazed  long  and  earnestly  at  her  beautiful  face  and  lithe, 
graceful  figure,  which,  attired  in  a  plain  dress  of  white  Swiss  mus- 
lin, trimmed  with  blue,  made  her  look  perfectly  bewitching,  while 
a  silk  tie  of  the  same  becoming  shade  confined  the  linen  collar 
about  her  white  throat. 

Simple  enough  these;  yet,  as  both  officers  stood  in  wrapt  admir- 
ation, they  were  convinced,  as  they  afterward  admitted,  that  they 
had  never  seen  the  toilette  of  any  one  beauty  so  exquisitely 
lovely. 

Summoning  up  courage  they  emerged  from  the  grove  in  which 
they  had  been  standing  unobserved,  and  Faulkner  entered  the 
gate,  Percy  promising  to  await  his  return.  For  some  few  minutes 
she  did  not  seem  to  be  aware  of  his  approach,  then  suddenly,  as  if 
observing  him  for  the  first  time,  she  uttered  a  little  cry  of  sur- 
prise. 
She  seemed  to  notice  that  he  was  enthralled  with  her  queenly 


40  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

beauty,  and  bowing  gently  in  acknowledgment,  moved  cautiously 
towards  the  mansion. 

This  was  encouragement  enough  for  Faulkner,  who  eagerly  re- 
moved his  cap,  returning  her  salutation;  then,  as  she  seemed  to 
saunter  along  leisurely,  as  if  waiting  for  him  to  join  her,  he  lost 
no  time  in  doing  so. 

She  smiled  pleasantly,  and  remarked  in  sweet  tones: 

"  Quite  a  pleasant  day,  sir." 

"Yes,  miss,"  he  replied. 

"  Since  the  Confederate  troops  departed  it  is  quite  a  novelty  to 
see  a  gentleman  in  these  parts,"  she  continued. 

"  Not  so  much  as  to  see  a  lady,  and  especially  a  charming  young 
lady  like  yourself,"  was  his  ardent  reply. 

He  gazed  earnestly  into  her  beautiful  face  as  he  spoke. 

She  colored  slightly  and  observed: 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  going  to  begin  our  acquaintance  by  flat- 
tering." 

"  I  beg  pardon;  I  am  too  impulsive,"  he  admitted. 

She  noticed  his  shoulder  straps,  and  remarked: 

"  So  you  are  a  Union  officer,  sir?" 

"  Yes.  I  have  the  honor  to  be  colonel  of  the  —  Indiana  cavalry, 
and  excuse  me  for  not  informing  you  before,  my  name  is  Frank 
Faulkner." 

"And  my  name  is  Ella  Stanfleld,  though  I  am  usually  called 
Nellie." 

"I  am  delighted  to  make  your  acquaintance,  Miss  StanQeld," 
said  Frank,  gallantly  claeping  her  tiny  white  hand,  which  was  as 
soft  as  velvet. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  smiled,  "  the  acquaintance  is  mutually  agree- 
able; but  come  into  the  house,  I  wish  to  introduce  you  to  my 
sister." 

"  Pardon  me,  but  I  have  a  friend  waiting  outside  the  gate  who 
will  be  unable  to  account  for  my  absence,  and " 

"  Oh,  don't  disturb  yourself  about  that.  I'll  send  a  little  darky 
to  summon  him.  Here,  Chit,"  she  added,  catching  sight  of  an 
ebony  face  which  was  peeping  around  the  side  of  the  house. 

The  boy  approached  timidly,  and  she  dispatched  him  on  his 
errand. 

Ascending  the  broad  steps  of  the  veranda,  Frank  followed  her 
with  a  thrill  of  pleasure. 

They  entered  the  house,  which  was  elegantly  furnished  with 
rich  carpets,  red  rep-covered  upholstered  chairs  and  sofa,  rich  bro- 
cade, lace-covered  lambrequins,  marble  top  table,  etc. 

The  walls  were  richly  adorned  with  handsome  oil  paintings,  and 
in  an  alcove  stood  a  valuble  piano. 

It  seemed  that,  all  that  taste,  utility  and  wealth  could  suggest  or 
procure  had  been  lavished  upon  this  Kentucky  home. 

Frank  learned  that  her  father  was  the  celebrated  Judge  Stan- 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  41 

field,  who  had  contributed  liberally  to  the  Confederate  cause,  and 
was  now  absent  from  home  in  its  legal  interests. 

Asking  him  to  be  seated,  Nellie  disappeared,  just  as  Major  Pow- 
ers entered  the  room  conducted  by  the  colored  lad,  whose  eyes 
brightened  as  the  officer  handed  him  a  silver  dime. 

Miss  Stanfield  shortly  returned,  followed  by  a  girl  scracely  less 
charming  than  herself,  whom  she  introduced  as  her  sister  Leoline. 

Her  type  of  beauty  was,  however,  far  different  from  that  of 
Nellie. 

She  was  a  brunette,  dark  and  fascinating,  and  seemed  wonder- 
fully pleased  to  meet  the  young  offioers. 

Frank  prevailed  upon  Major  Powers  to  favor  the  company  with 
one  of  his  songs,  and  he  accordingly  rendered  "  Kathleen  Mavour- 
neen  "  with  deep  feeling,  Leoline  playing  the  accompaniment 
with  much  skill  and  taste. 

After  a  pleasant  hour  spent  in  this  manner  the  two  young  men 
took  their  departure,  promising  to  call  again. 

The  two  maidens  mutually  agreed  that  the  Yankees  were  not  so 
bad  after  all,  as  they  had  always  heard  them  represented. 

Both  officers  were  deeply  impressed  with  their  new  friends,  and 
as  Frank  remembered  that  he  had  been  so  unceremoniously  dis- 
missed by  Edith  Elverton,  he  determined  to  cultivate  the  ac- 
quaintance of  this  young  Kentucky  belle  and,  if  possible,  win  her 
for  his  wife. 

He  took  occasion  accordingly  to  visit  Nellie  Stanfield  frequently, 
and  spent  much  of  his  leisure  time  upon  the  broad,  cool 
veranda  of  Maplehurst,  engaged  in  pleasant  conversation,  or  listen- 
ng  to  her  reading  or  singing. 

i  Occasionally  the  young  people  would  take  an  excursion  down 
the  Kentucky  river,  the  ladies  bringing  ample  lunch  baskets,  and 
in  this  way  camp  life  at  Glenwood  was  not  only  endurable  but 
quite  agreeable  to  our  officers. 

One  pleasant  afternoon  Frank  was  seated  upon  the  fragrant 
veranda,  his  feet  comfortably  elevated  and  resting  on  the  rustic 
railing,  while  he  watched  the  white  wreath  of  smoke  which  slowly 
curled  upward  from  the  Havana  which  he  was  smoking. 

Nellie  Stanfield  had  just  left  him  and  gone  into  the  parlor  to 
play  a  new  waltz  which,  with  him,  was  a  great  favorite. 

She  seated  herself  at  the  piano  and  played  the  overture,  when 
rising  from  his  seat  he  threw  away  his  cigar,  and  enlering  the 
room  stood  beside  her  to  turn  the  music. 

"  Shall  I  play  your  favorite,  Mr.  Faulkner  ?" 

"  If  you  please,  Nellie — excuse  me,  Miss  Stanfield." 

"  Oh,  you  are  quite  excusable,  Colonel  Faulkner,  but  I  much 
prefer  being  called  Nellie." 

"Then  I  am  to  understand  that  I  am  to  call  you  Nellie?" 

"  Yes,  and  I  shall  call  you  Frank." 

Their  eyes  met,  and  a  mutual  pleasure  beamed  in  both. 


42  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

Frank  was  thrilled  with  the  gentle,  longing  expression  on  her 
beautful  face.       - 

Who  would  have  thought  of  finding  so  charming  a  maiden  here 
and  so  accomplished  ?  he  mentally  soliloquized. 

After  this  scarcely  a  day  passed  that  he  was  not  at  Maplehurst. 

An  amusing  incident  occurred  one  evening  while  there. 

Leoline's  affianced  husband,  Colonel  Greysou,  of  the  Confederate 
service  chanced  to  make  a  call,  stealing  cautiously  into  Glenwood 
in  the  disguise  of  a  citizen. 

After  they  had  exchanged  greetings,  Leoliue  conducted  him  to 
that  portion  of  the  veranda  where  Nellie  and  Colonel  Faulkner 
were  seated,  engaged  in  pleasant  conversation. 

It  was  a  moonlight  night,  and  both  officers  mutually  recoguized 
one  another. 

"  Colonel  Faulkner,  this  gentleman  is  Colonel  Greysou,  of  our 
army,"  observed  Leoline,  introducing  them. 

Both  bowed  and  shook  hands. 

Greyson  distinctly  remembered  him  as  his  prisoner,but  Faulkner 
entertained  no  hard  feelings  on  his  part,  for  the  one  armed  colonel 
had  treated  him  most  courteously  while  he  was  in  his  power. 

The  meeting  was  a  little  awkward,  but  on  the  whole  they  spent  a 
very  pleasant  evening  together,  all  feelings  of  enmity  being  sup- 
pressed in  the  presence  of  the  ladies. 

Three  weeks  elapsed. 

Faulkner,  who  was  still  at  Glenwood  with  his  cavalry  received 
orders  to  leave  that  section  and  proceed  to  East  Tennessee,  there 
to  cope  with  the  daring  guerrillas,  who  held  the  mountains  in  that 
state,  and  defied  Federal  authority. 

The  command  of  Colonel  Greyson  had  left  the  Vapor  mountain 
district,  and  it  was  rumored  had  gone  across  the  Cumberlands  to 
join  Lee  in  his  advance  into  Maryland. 

Before  his  departure,  however,  Colonel  Faulkner  managed  to  ac- 
company the  charming  Kentucky  belle,  Nellie  Stanfield,  on  numer- 
ous walks,  drives,  and  boating  excursions. 

Every  day  he  became  more  and  more  fascinated  with  her  wom- 
anly graces,  amiable  disposition  and  pleasant  conversational 
powers. 

One  bright  morning  she  came  to  him  more  charmiug  than  ever. 
and  asked  him  if  he  would  not  join  a  little  party  which  she  had 
arranged  to  go  up  into  the  country  and  enjoy  a  days  picnic  in  the 
woods. 

He  of  course  gladly  accepted. 

"  Your  friend,  Major  Powers,  if  he  will  come,  can  act  as  usual,  as 
my  sister's  escort,  and  you  shall  act  as  mine,"  smiled  Nellie. 

Upon  that  excursion  the  bold  colonel  learned  his  fate,  and  was 
thrilled  to  find  that  his  love  was  returned  by  bis  fair  companion. 

Forgotten   was   poor   Fred    Merrigold,  her  absent  lover,  about 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BAKS.  43 

whom  she  had  scarcely  ever  thought  since  the  advent  of  her  ac- 
quaintance with  Frank  Faulkner. 

"  Our  betrothal  must  bo  kept  a  secret  for  the  present,  Frank," 
she  observed,  quietly. 

"Yes;  1  leave  you  to-morrow  to  go  to  East  Tennessee.  Perhaps 
I  may  never  return,  for  I  may  fall  in  battle;  but  I  shall  place  this 
ring  upon  your  fiuger  in  token  of  our  engagement,  and  shall  be 
glad  to  have  you  write  me  as  often  as  circumstances  will  permit 
you. 

As  he  spoke,  he  placed  an  elegant  ring  which  he  had  intended  for 
Edith  Elverton,  upon  her  hand 

They  joined  the  pleasure  party  which  the  Misses  Stanfield  had 
organized,  and  spent  a  most  enjoyable  day. 

On  the  following  morning  Frank  took  his  departure  with  the 
troops,  and  left  his  friends,  sadly  regretting  his  removal. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  ECHO  MOUNTAIN. 

The  scene  of  action  now  changes  to  the  Cumberland  mountains 
in  East  Tennessee. 

Daybreak  in  early  September. 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  cavalry  battalions  were  as- 
sembled at  the  foot  of  the  mountains. 

Colonel  Faulkner  and  Major  Powers  were  on  horseback  at  the 
head  of  their  command. 

Rebels  and  guerrillas  in  large  numbers  held  the  passes  and  fast- 
nesses of  the  towering  Cumberlands. 

It  was  the  duty  of  the  cavalry  to  rout  them  out  of  their  position 
and  cut  them  to  pieces. 

Owing  to  the  nature  of  the  ground  the  Federal  troopers  were 
obliged  to  leave  their  horses  in  a  grove,  and  advance  to  the  attack 
on  foot. 

It  was  a  stirring  sight  to  see  the  lively  troopers  bounding  over 
the  rocks,  carbine  in  hand  and  saber  jingling  in  its  clanking  scab- 
bard  at  their  side. 

Suddenly  the  rebel  pickets  spied  them,  and  opened  with  their 
rifles  at  long  range. 

Several  of  the  troopers  clutched  madly  at  their  wounds  and 
rolled  over,  staining  the  rocks  with  their  blood. 

The  ascent  of  the  mountain  under  these  circumstances  was  very 
difficult. 

But  the  undaunted  cavalry  boys  pushed  their  way  gallantly  up- 
ward, firing  as  they  advanced  ;  and,  screening  themselves  as  best 
they  could  behind  ridges  of  rock  or  huge  bowlders  that  were 
scattered  in  profusion  all  along  the  side  of  the  eminence. 

Unable  to  do  effective  execution  with  their  rifles,  the  rebels 
brought  forward  a  twelve  pounder  brass  piece,  and  rained  down 


U  UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS. 

upon  the  assaulting  party  a  perfect  storm  of  grape,  canister,  and 
percussion  shell. 

Sword  in  hand,  Frank  Faulkner  led  the  gallant  troopers  amid  a 
shower  of  balls. 

It  was  a  lovely  morniDgeven  for  the  lovely  country  in  which  the 
battle  raged. 

The  sun  rose  radiant  with  beauty  and  power,  kissing  the  dew- 
drops  from  the  oountless  wild  flowers  on  the  mountain,  tinging 
with  gold  the  emerald  leaves  of  the  forest  in  the  foreground,  and 
gilding  the  crest  of  the  ridge  with  transcendent  glory. 

Still,  notwithstanding  nature's  loveliness,  friend  and  foe  faced 
each  other  with  the  fury  of  bulldogs. 

Shells  crashed  about  among  the  rocks,  tearing  up  the  earth  in 
their  mad  plunge,  and  anon  taking  some  of  the  boys  in  blue  out  of 
the  steadfast  line. 

The  rebels  could  be  seen  rushing  forward  from  their  camp  at  the 
other  side  of  Echo  mountain  to  join  the  defense  of  the  rocky 
ridge. 

These  troops  hauled  up  a  second  piece  of  artillery,  and  soon  its 
terrific  crashes  blended  with  those  of  the  first  gun. 

Colonel  Faulkner  and  Major  Powers  suddenly  wheeled  a  score  of 
men  into  an  open  space,  and  with  a  wild  cheer  they  made  a  dash 
for  the  guns. 

A  terrific  explosion,  that  proclaimed  the  simultaneous  discharge 
of  both  pieces,  shook  the  earth  and  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  mount- 
ains, and  two  shells  came  screaming  through  the  air  and,  dropping 
with  a  crash,  exploded  with  great  force  right  in  the  midst  of  the 
assaulting  Federals,  killing  and  mangling  fourteen  of  the  devoted 
party. 

A  shriek  of  anguish  from  Captain  Winters  proclaimed  that  the 
unfortunate  man  was  grievously  wounded,  and  then  with  a  faint, 
gurgling  gasp  his  life  passed  away. 

The  situation  now  appeared  so  desperate,  that  Faulkner  at  once 
summoned  the  residue  of  his  command,  and  at  their  head,  dashed 
impetuously  up  the  mountain  side. 

A  sheet  of  flame  burst  from  a  score  of  rebel  rifles,  followed  by  a 
crashing  volley. 

By  dodging  behind  rocks,  however,  our  friends  managed  to 
escape  the  storm  of  bullets  that  hissed  angrily  by  them,  without 
receiving  any  serious  wounds. 

Quickly  springing  from  their  covert,  they  returned  the  volley, 
dropping  sixteen  of  the  Confederates,  after  which  they  resumed 
their  former  position,  reloading  as  they  lay. 

Faulkner,  with  commendable  military  skill,  now  ordered  Major 
Powers  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Dalrymple  to  take  half  the  force 
and  fall  back  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  there  take  reinforce- 
ments from  the  troopers  not  engaged,  and  assault  the  enemy  on 
the  left. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BABS.  45 

This  order  was  promptly  and  effectively  executed,  and  while  the 
rebel  forces  were  actively  engaged  in  battling  with  Faulkner, 
whose  troops  were  pretty  well  thinned  out  under  their  galling  fire, 
Dalrymple  made  a  sudden  and  fierce  assault  upon  their  right 
which  threw  them  into  confusion,  charging  clear  up  to  their  lines 
and  gaiuiug  the  summit  of  the  ridge. 

The  slaughter  was  now  terrible  on  both  sides ;  but  perhaps  more 
so  among  the  Confederates,  who  were  forced  to  stand  before  the 
deadly  fire  of  their  own  field  pieces,  which  Faulkner  had  over- 
whelmed and  captured  from  them. 

The  rebels  fought  long  and  desperately,  but  despite  their  obsti- 
nate courage,  were  forced  to  give  way,  and  finally  nearly  exasper- 
ated with  their  successive  repulses,  fell  back  and  slowly  retreated 
down  the  side  of  the  mountain,  followed  by  flashing  sabers  and 
ringing  revolver  shots. 

The  ridge  was  won ! 

The  rebel  stronghold  had  been  carried,  and  the  depleted  ranks 
of  the  Indiana  troopers  held  the  crest  of  Echo  mountain,  for  which 
they  had  fought  so  gallantly. 

Perhaps  no  sanguinary  skirmish  of  the  war  better  deserves  pres- 
ervation in  history  than  this  glorious  achievement  of  the  Indiana 
cavalry. 

The  Confederates  fled  three  miles  due  south,  and  there  took  up  a 
new  position  which  they  considered  absolutely  impregnable,  in  the 
same  range. 

The  evening  after  the  battle,  Colonel  Faulkner  mounted  upon 
his  chestnut  charger,  Roxy,  set  out  alone  for  a  short  ride,  intend- 
ing to  draw  near  enough  to  reconnoiter  the  rebel  position,  and  de- 
pending upon  the  fleetness  of  his  steed — the  same  which  he  had 
brought  from  Norwood — to  save  him,  should  occasion  require. 

The  Federals  had  bivouacked  upon  the  banks  of  a  swiftly  running 
mountain  stream,  whose  waters  were  singularly  clear,  cold  and 
refreshing. 

Major  Powers  was  engaged  in  writing  in  his  diary,  Lieutenant 
Blake  preparing  supper,  and  Dalrymple  and  Dr.  Clancy  lost  in  re- 
flections. 

It  was  the  calm  succeeding  the  storm. 

Faulkner's  horse  trotted  nimbly  over  the  soft,  yielding  soil,  at  a 
brisk  pace,  considering  the  fatigues  of  recent  toilsome  marches. 

Colonel  Faulkner  had  left  his  weapons  in  camp,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  navy  revolver,  which  he  carried  in  his  holster,  as  not  in- 
tending to  go  far  he  did  not  think  he  would  need  them. 

The  night  was  favored  with  clear,  silvery  moonlight,  and  cool, 
exhilerating  breezes. 

As  he  rode  along,  Frank  urged  his  steed  into  a  gentle  gallop,  and 
thinking  to  avoid  being  seen  by  any  skulking  rebels  or  bushwhack- 
ers, kept  beneath  the  dark  shadow  of  the  range  thus  being  well 
sheltered  from  view. 


46  VNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

Suddenly,  his  horse  reared  madly  and  all  the  time  trembling 
violently. 

At  a  loss  to  account  for  this  strange  freak,  Frank  applied  the 
spurs;  but  the  steed,  instead  of  boundiug  forward  as  he  had  an- 
ticipated, turned  violently  and  threw  our  hero  heavily  to  the 
ground,  spraining  his  left  foot  badly,  and  then  relieved  of  his  bur- 
den galloped  back  toward  camp  at  his  best  speed. 

Faulkner  began  to  realize  that  he  was  in  a  bad  fix,  unhorsed,  two 
miles  from  camp,  and  lying  helpless  on  the  ground  with  a  sprained 
ankle,  which  pained  him  acutely,  an  involuntary  groan  now  and 
then  escaping  his  quivering  lips. 

The  only  consolation  he  had,  was  that  he  knew  his  comrades, 
immediately  the  riderless  horse  would  arrive  in  camp  would  start 
out  in  quest  of  him,  though  he  could  hardly  hope  to  be  found 
without  much  search. 

What  had  frightened  the  animal  and  so  caused  his  unaccountable 
freak,  our  hero  was  at  a  loss  to  conjecture. 

Some  little  time  must  needs  elapse  before  his  friends  could  come 
to  his  assistance ;  accordingly  he  was  obliged  to  resign  himself  to  a 
night  of  agony. 

Removing  his  boot  and  bandaging  his  handkerchief  tightly 
about  the  injured  member  in  order  to  allay  the  swelling,  Faulkner 
lay  down  in  hopes  of  passing  a  quiet  night,  though  with  many  mis- 
givings, as  he  was  entirely  unarmed  and  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy 
should  they  stumble  upon  him. 

His  ankle  continued  to  throb,  and  pained  him  acutely,  yet  he  did 
not  murmur  for  he  was  naturally  of  a  courageous  nature  and 
always  bore  suffering  with  great  fortitude.  An  hour  passed— an 
hour  that  to  our  sufferer  seemed  an  age— suddenly  he  fancied  he 
heard  the  first  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  thundering  along  the  green 
sward,  and  as  he  listened  intently,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they 
were  drawing  nearer. 

"They  are  coming  at  last,  thank  Heaven  !"  he  murmured,  drag- 
ging himself  into  a  sitting  posture  and  waiting  patiently  for  the 
advent  of  his  friends  as  he  supposed  the  riders  to  be. 

Suddenly  he  descried  the  dark  form  of  a  horseman  looming  up 
before  him  and  at  less  than  fifty  yards  distant. 

Never  dreaming  that  he  could  be  aught  but  a  friend,  Faulkner 
hailed  him  as  soon  as  he  was  within  earshot,  hoping  to  hear  in 
reply  the  cheery  voice  of  Major  Powers,  or  Lieutenant  Blake,  it 
mattered  little  which. 

Instead,  however,  the  stranger  drew  rein,  and  while  his  spirited 
horse  reared  and  pawed  the  air,  demanded  in  a  loud  voice  : 

"  Who  the  deuce  are  you,  and  what  do  you  want  ?" 

"  Soldier— wounded  and  helpless,"  replied  Frank. 

"  Fed  or  Confed  ?"  queried  the  rider. 

"  Union,"  replied  Faulkner,  not  afraid  to  speak  the  truth. 

"  All  right,  cunnel,  I'll  go  back  an'  get  a  couple  of  men,  and  we'll 


UNDEIt  THE  STAKS  AND  BARS.  47 

carry  you  to  a  place  where  you'll  receive  immegit  attention;  by 
the  way,  are  you  hurt  bad  ?" 

"  I  have  sustained  a  severe  sprain  of  the  right  ankle,  and  conse- 
quently cannot  walk." 

"Ah,  that's  bad  'nuff,  by  thunder.  Lay  still,  I'll  hurry  back,* 
and  so  saying  the  brusque  stranger  dug  his  heels  into  the  horse's 
flanks  and  was  off  like  a  shot. 

Although  disappointed  at  failing  to  recognize  in  the  stranger  one 
of  his  friends,  our  hero  was  thankful  that  he  was  soon  to  receive 
the  proper  attention  which  the  exigencies  of  his  case  demanded. 

The  rider  sped  along  at  a  steady  gallop  until  he  reached  a  hut 
situated  in  a  canyon  beneath  the  overhanging  mountains,  where, 
pausing  he  leaped  from  the  saddle  and  knocked  on  the  door  with 
the  butt  of  a  heavy  holster  pistol  to  gain  admittance. 

"  Who's  there?"  cried  a  voice  strongly  feminine  in  character, 
and  apparently  belonging  to  one  just  aroused  from  a  deep  sleep. 

"  It's  me,  Nathan  Sperry,"  was  the  rejoinder,  "  let  me  in  quick, 
Matilda." 
"  Open  the  door,  Erastus,"  observed  the  woman,  "it's  father." 
Immediately  a  bolt  was  heard  to  slide  back,  and  bidding  his  son, 
au  awkward  looking  youth  of  eighteen  or  twenty  who  appeared 
in  the  doorway,  to  look  after  his  horse,  the  man  calling  himself 
Nathan  Sperry  entered  the  cabin,  and  seated  himself  beside  his 
wife. 

"  The  loyal  troops  licked  those  Johnny  Rebs  in  haudsum  style 
to-day,"  he  remarked. 

"  Oh,  I  am  so  glad  to  hear  it.  I  heard  the  noise  of  the  guns  and 
sent  Ezekelout  to  learn  the  result  of  the  fight,  but  he's  not  got  back 
yet.  I  hope  nothing  has  happened  to  him,"  she  added,  anxiously. 
"Don't  you  bee  afeerd,  that  boy's  able  to  take  care  of  hisself ; 
but  I  can't  wait  to  talk  now.  I  come  acrost  a  Union  soldier  who's 
got  his  ankle  sprained  and  is  lying  helpless  near  the  foot  of  Maple 
Ridge,  and  promised  to  go  for  him  at  oncet ;  you'd  better  get  the 
things  ready  so  we  can  attend  to  his  injury  as  soon  as  I  bring  him 
in." 

"  Very  well,  Nathan,  I  shall  be  prepared  by  the  time  you  return," 
saying  which  she  set  to  work  to  get  things  in  readiness. 

Calling  his  son,  both  mounted  horses  and  leading  a  third  one, 
started  out  on  their  mission  of  mercy. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  LOYAL,  TENNESSEAN. 

Old  Nathan  Sperry,  as  we  have  seen,  lived  in  a  log  cabin  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Cumberland  mountains. 

His  family  consisted,  besides  his  wife  and  the  two  sons  referred 
to,  of  two  elder  boys  who  were  in  the  Federal  service,  and  a 
daughter   named   Ida,  a   young   lady  of  twenty  summers.    This 


48  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

daughter,  whom  the  bracing  mountain  |air  had  developed  into  a 
handsome  young  woman,  had  been  captured  a  week  previous  by 
guerrillas  and  carried  off  by  Clint  Capwell,  their  leader,  who  ex- 
pressed himself  as  determined  to  force  her  to  marry  him. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  Sperry  domicile  at  the  time 
our  hero  was  introduced  into  it. 

Nathan  and  his  sou  had  reached  the  spot  where  he  lay  groaning 
in  anguish,  and  in  due  course  conveyed  him  to  the  hut,  where, 
under  the  skillful  hands  of  the  Unionist  and  his  wife,  Matilda,  the 
swelling  was  shortly  reduced,  the  ankle  restored  to  its  normal  con- 
dition, and  the  suffering  of  the  colonel  greatly  modified. 

This  accomplished,  the  old  mountaineer  mixed  up  a  liberal  tum- 
bler of  peach  brandy,  the  only  liquor  available,  and  induced  our 
hero  to  partake  of  the  beverage,  which  he  did  with  good  results. 

Sperry  then  advised  him  of  the  loss  of  his  daughter,  and  asked 
Frank  to  assist  him  in  effecting  her  rescue. 

"  With  pleasure,"  he  replied.  "I  will  bring  my  command  up 
here  to-morrow." 

"  But,  cunnel,  them  pesky  guerrillas  air  wuss  than  wolves,  they 
will  skulk  away  and  hide  when  they  see  your  troopers,  and  we 
keant  find  a  trace  of  them.  My  plan  would  be  for  you  and  me  to 
steal  into  their  camp  at  night  and  release  the  girl,  if  we  can  find 
her  whereabouts." 

"Very  well;  whatever  course  you  wish  to  pursue,  or  deem  wise 
to  act  upon,  I  am  with  you,"  acquiesced  Frank,  quietly. 

"  Now  that's  settled,  cunnel,  I'll  show  you  to  your  room,"  and 
the  Unionist  led  him  behind  a  curtain  at  the  further  end  of  the 
cabin. 

"  I  hope  you  will  feel  better  to-morrow,"  he  observed,  leaving 
our  hero  to  his  own  reflections. 

In  the  morning  Frank  wrote  a  note  to  Maior  Powers  advising 
him  of  his  whereabouts  and  stating  the  cause  of  his  absence. 

This  missive  he  dispatched  by  Sperry's  son  to  the  Union  camp. 

During  the  day  both  men  were  busy  arranging  a  satisfactory  and 
feasible  plan  upon  which  to  act,  and  finally  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  was  better  to  wait  till  night  before  venturing  among  the 
rebels  and  guerrillas.  Therefore,  they  remained  in  the  hut  until 
night  cast  her  dark  shadows  over  peak  and  gulch;  then  arrayed 
in  a  suit  of  butternut  homespun  similar  to  that  worn  by  Nathan, 
our  hero  followed  him  out  into  the  darkness. 

Mounting  horses  which  Sperry  had  in  readiness,  they  hurried  in 
the  direction  of  the  Confederate  camp. 

Shortly  before  reaching  this  point  of  destination,  however,  the 
men  dismounted  and  carefully  coucealed  their  horses  in  a  grove  of 
pines.  Then  picking  their  steps,  warily  they  climbed  the  ridge  and 
were  proceeding  cautiously  until  suddenly  alarmed  by  the  chal- 
lenge of  a  vigilant  sentry: 

"  Halt,  who  goes  ther«?" 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS.  49 

"Friends  with  the  countersign," replied Sperry, coolly,  dropping 
the  butt  of  his  long,  trusty  rifle  as  he  spoke. 

"Advance  one,  unarmed,"  ordered  the  sentry. 

Sperry  handed  his  weapon  to  our  hero  and  stepped  forward. 

"Countersign,"  demanded  the  sentry. 

"Tullahoma,"  replied  Sperry,  who  had  managed  to  learn  the 
word  through  the  agency  of  his  son,  whom  he  had  sent  to  spy 
around  the  camp  that  afternoon. 

'  Pass,"  observed  the  sentry,  lowering  his  bayonet. 

Now  that  they  had  succeeded  in  penetrating  the  lines,  our  two 
friends  breathed  easier. 

Their  next  object  was  to  endeavor  to  discover  the  whereabouts 
of  the  girl. 

While  they  were  puzzling  themselves  about  this  important  mat- 
ter, a  young  and  exceedingly  handsome  man,  clad  in  the  ragged 
remnant  of  the  uniform  of  a  Confederate  soldier,"suddenly  appear- 
ed in  their  path,  confronting  them. 

"  ColoneJ  Faulkner,  this  is  an  unexpected  pleasure,"  he  said,  ad- 
vancing and  shaking  our  hero  by  the  hand. 

Frank  was  thunderstruck. 

Who  was  this  young  man  who  had  addressed  him  so  familiarly  ? 
was  the  question  which  mutually  suggested  itself. 

'•Ah!  I  perceive  you  don't  remember  me;  you  know  me  well 
enough,  but  cannot  recall  my  face?  Perhaps,  however,  you  will 
recollect  a  schoolfellow  at  Norwood  high  school  who  was  known 
as  Fred  Merrigold  ?" 

"  Fred  Merrigold ! "  our  hero  repeated,  "  well,  I  should  think  1 
did ;  but  you  don't  mean  to  tell  me  you  are  Fred  ?" 

"  I  am  happy  to  assure  you  of  the  fact." 

"  That  being  settled,  I  must  say,  Fred,  that  I  regret  to  see  you  in 
such  inappropriate  company." 

"  You  will  not,  however,  think  so  hard  of  me,  perhaps,  when  I 
state  that  I  am  here  mainly  in  the  interest  of  the  Union  cause ;  it 
was  I  that  conveyed  the  information  to  Federal  headquarters  that 
resulted  in  your  cavalry  being  sent  down  here  to  hunt  Greyson's 
rebels  and  Capwell's  guerrillas,  and  cut  them  off  root  and  branch. 
I  spent  nearly  a  year  with  Forrest's  cavalry,  then  cut  them  and 
joined  Greyson,  who,  by  the  way,  is  a  prospective  brother-in-law 
of  mine. 

"  If  it  had  not  been  for  Nell  Stanfield,  Frank,  I  should  probably 
to-night  wear  the  Federal  blue  and  stand  under  the  stars  and 
stripes,  instead  of  under  the  stars  and  bars. 

"  Nell  Stanfield !"  repeated  Faulkner,  in  amazement. 

"Yes;  do  you  know  her?"  queried  Merrigold,  looking  at  Frank 
searchingly. 

"  Well,  slightly,"  our  hero  admitted.  "Do  you  mean  Nellie 
Stanfield  of  Glenwood,  Kentucky  ?" 

"  The  same." 


50  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

"  I  have  the  honor  of  her  acquaintance." 

" Nice  girl,"  continued  Merrigold;  "I  expect  to  marry  her  as 
soon  as  I  can  emerge  from  this  unpleasantness." 

'The  devil  you  do,"  thought  Faulkner. 

But  he  did  not  make  any  reply;  hut,  changing  the  subject,  ob- 
served : 

"Do  you  know  this  Clint  Capwell,  commander  of  the  guer- 
rillas ?" 

"Yes;  he's  a  fierce  fellow  ;  and  by  the  way,  there's  a  scalawag 
in  his  gang  whom  I  could  almost  swear  I  saw  in  Norwood." 

"  What's  his  name  ?" 

"  Art  Arnold  he  is  called,  I  think." 

"  Ah !  is  he  here  too  ?    I  thought  he  had  deserted  by  this  time." 

"No;  he's  quite  a  hand  to  do  Capwell's  dirty  work;  he's  just 
now  engaged  in  taking  charge  of  a  young  girl,  pretty  as  a  peach, 
whom  Capwell  states  he  is  going  to  marry  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity." 

"  Can  I  trust  you,  Merrigold  ?" 

"  Well,  I  guess  you  can ;  although  I  am  now  in  the  rebel  ranks 
and  serving  under  the  stars  and  bars,  my  heart  is  true  blue  Union, 
and  beats  only  for  '  Columbia,  the  gem  of  the  Ocean,'  and  red 
white  and  blue  flag  of  freedom." 

Faulkner  grasped  him  warmly  by  the  hand. 

"  That  poor  innocent  young  girl  is  this  man's  daughter,"  he  ob- 
served; "he  is  a  Unionist,  but  were  he  the  rankest  rebel  that 
breathes,  I  would  still  maintain  the  same  principles  toward  his 
daughter;  iu  a  word,  Fred,  we  have  come  to  rescue  her." 

"  Then  you  have  tackled  a  tough  job ;  but  hold,  I  think  I  see  a 
way  to  success ;  I  am  tired  of  my  position  here,  and  have  made 
up  my  mind  to  go  over  to  the  other  side ;  in  fact,  I  would  not  have 
remained  here  so  long  but  to  please  Nellie  Stanfleld  and  for  the 
thought  that  I  was  rendering  my  country  a  efficient  service  by 
the  nature  of  the  information  which  I  was  enabled  to  transmit." 

"Well?" 

"If  you  will  leave  this  matter  to  me,  I  promise  to  bring  the  girl 
to  you  in  less  than  an  hour." 

Frank's  eyes  sparkled ;  he  did  not  anticipate  such  a  firm  pros- 
pect of  success,  and  feared  Fred  reckoned  without  his  host;  how- 
ever, he  was  pleased,  and  observed  : 

"Then  you  are  our  man;  if  you  succceed,  this  gold  watch  is 
yours,"  said  Frank,  producing  the  chronometer  which  had  been 
so  hastily  abandoned  by  the  rebel  officer  when  shelled  by  Frank's 
battery,  as  related  in  an  early  chapter  of  this  story. 

Merrigold,  however,  raised  his  hand  deprecatingly,  as  he  ob- 
served : 

"  I  ask  no  reward ;  a  sense  of  duty  and  justice  prompts  me  to 
this  action,  not  the  prospect  of  visionary  emolument. 

"  Then  if  you  conduct  the  girl  to  us,  and  wish  to  join  my  com- 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  51 

mand,  you  shall  have  the  vacanoy  caused  by  the  death  of  Captain 
Winters,  who  fell  in  the  action  of  yesterday,"  said  Frank. 

"Thanks;  I  shall  do  my  best." 

The  loyal  rebel  proceeded  to  the  hut  where  he  knew  Ida  Sperry 
was  detained  a  prisoner. 

He  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  on  the  day  of  her  capture,  and 
her  beauty  had  excited  his  keen  sympathy  to  such  an  extent  that 
he  registered  a  meutal  vow  that  she  should  come  to  no  harm  while 
he  was  able  to  raise  a  hand  in  her  defense. 

When  he  reached  the  hut  he  saw  that  Arnold  was  not  around, 
and  as  it  was  customary  for  that  worthy  to  take  the  girl  out  in  the 
evening  and  walk  her  up  and  down  the  camp  for  exercise,  the 
quick  mind  of  Fred  Merrigold  fouud  a  plan,  which  would  not 
have  suggested  itself  to  one  of  ordinary  intellect. 

Approachiug  the  guard,  whom  he  happened  to  know,  he  ob- 
served cordially : 

'  Good  evening,  Merton,  Cap  Capwell  desired  me  to  come  over, 
relieve  you,  and  conduct  the  girl  to  him  ;  he  will  take  her  out  for  a 
walk  himself  to-night,  as  Arnold  is  too  drunk  to  attend  to  his 
duty." 

Without  questioning  his  right,  the  man  opened  the  door,  where- 
upon Fred  Merrigold  entered  the  hut,  and  approaching  the  cap- 
tive maiden,  whispered  softly : 

"  I  am  a  friend  ;  come  with  me  quietly  and  I  will  conduct  you  to 
your  father." 

"  Oh,  kind  sir,  you  are  so  good.  I  have  prayed  Heaven  to  send 
me  help,  and  my  prayer  is  answered,"  saying  which  the  gentle 
maiden,  who  was  as  graceful  as  a  gazelle,  followed  him  out  of  the 
hut,  her  heart  leaping  wildly  with  buoyant  hope. 

Offering  her  his  arm,  Fred  conducted  her  away  through  the 
darkness,  humming  as  he  went. 

In  order  to  disarm  whatever  suspicions  the  guard  might  enter- 
tain, Fred  conducted  her  a  short  distance  in  the  direction  of  Cap- 
well's  tent,  then  suddenly  changing  his  course  he  made  directly 
for  the  spot  where  he  had  left  her  friends. 

When  Fred  Merrigold  rejoined  his  two  newly  found  friends 
they  could  hardly  credit  their  senses  as  they  saw  him  accompanied 
by  a  female  form. 

They  had  scarcely  dared  hope  that  he  would  be  successful  in  his 
undertaking,  and  little  dreamed  that  he  would  be  enabled  to  make 
good  his  promise. 

However,  the  shape  of  his  companion  shortly  revealed  itself  as 
that  of  a  woman,  and  the  gait  which  she  of  necessity  maintained 
in  order  to  keep  pace  with  him,  proclaimed  her  at  once  young  and 
agile. 

Her  face  was  of  that  type  of  beauty  hereditary  among  families 
in  these  parts;  sweet  in  expression,  perfect  in  complexion,  and  en- 
hanced by  a  profusion  of  brown  hair  and  mild  blue  eyes. 


52  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

She  was  overjoyed  at  meeting  her  father,  who  could  himself, 
with  difficulty,  couceal  his  affectionate  delight  at  clasping  her  in 
his  arms  once  more. 

"Now,"  observed  Frank,  when  the  greetings  and  introductions 
were  over,  "  we  must  manage  to  get  away  from  here  as  speedily  as 
possible. 

To  this  all  readily  acquiesced,  and  leading  the  way,  Sperry  soon 
conducted  them  to  the  spot  where  they  had  left  the  horses. 

Frank  assisted  the  girl  to  mount  the  horse,  and  then  urged  Sper- 
ry to  mount  the  other  and  hurry  home  with  his  daughter. 

This  the  old  Tennesseean  was  very  reluctant  to  consent  to,  much 
preferring  that  Frank  should  use  the  horse,  and  leave  him  to 
range  through  the  mountains,  with  every  foot  of  which  he  was 
familiar ;  but  our  hero  would  not  agree  to  this  arrangement. 

Finally,  as  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost  in  discussion,  Nathan 
mounted,  and,  followed  by  his  daughter,  hastened  away,  taking 
the  most  direct  route  for  home. 

Faulkner  and  Fred  Merrigold  lost  no  time  in  climbing  the  range 
and  pushing  into  the  solitude  of  the  mountains,  feeling  confident 
of  eluding  capture  by  so  doing. 

Having  reached  the  summit  they  hurried  northward  in  the 
direction  of  the  Federal  cavalry  camp. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  PATE   OF  CLINT   CAPWELL. 

No  language  is  expressive  enough  to  convey  an  adequate  con- 
ception of  the  rugged  grandeur  of  the  mountain  scenery  that  sur- 
rounded the  two  fugitives  as  they  pushed  their  way  though  the 
wildest  solitudes  of  the  blue  crested  Cumberlands,  in  hopes  of  elud- 
ing those  whom  they  felt  certain  would  be  dispatched  post  haste 
in  pursuit  of  them5  as  soon  as  it  was  discovered  that  they  had 
effected  the  rescue  of  the  girl. 

No  pen  can  depict  the  sublime  beauty  of  the  broad  and  varied 
landscape  that  unfolded  itself  to  their  view  on  that  balmy  autumn 
morning,  which  proved  so  refreshing  to  their  wearied  senses  after 
the  fatigues  and  excitement  of  the  preceding  night. 

It  seemed  to  them  that  they  had  never  before  studied  nature  so 
closely,  or  relished  its  beauties  so  keenly  as  upon  this  dewy  morn. 
Both,  as  they  halted  for  a  brief  rest,  watched  the  birth  of  the  new 
day  with  intense  interest,  viewing  the  fog  as  it  lifted  from  the 
mountains,  clinging  in  dense  masses  in  certain  places  in  the  valley; 
watched  the  pearly  drops  of  dew  that  glistened  on  tree,  shrub  and 
grass-blades,  and  listened  with  keen  pleasure  to  the  wild  melody 
of  the  birds  as  they  sprang  from  the  bushes  on  either  side,  sur- 
prised, no  doubt,  at  being  disturbed  so  early  in  the  morning. 

Resuming  their  perilous  ascent,  they  finally  reached  the  summit 
of  the  range,  then  began  to  look  about  them  for  a  cave  where  they 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  M 

might  hide  from  the  rebels  whom  they  felt  certain  where  already 
on  their  track. 

Faulkner  had  instructed  Sperry  to  convey  his  family  to  the 
Union  camp  for  protection,  and  felt  if  he  and  Fred  could  only  en- 
gage the  attention  of  the  enemy  long  enough  to  enable  the  old 
Unionist  to  carry  his  suggestions  into  effect,  the  result  would  be  all 
that  could  be  desired. 

As  they  pursued  their  way  the  two  young  men  crossed  an  im- 
mense canyon  on  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree. 

Just  as  they  reached  the  opposite  side  they  were  suddenly 
alarmed  by  the  unmistakable  sounds  of  a  commotion  in  their 
rear. 

Looking  hastily  over  their  shoulders,  they  descried  a  body  of 
men  scrambling  up  the  side  of  the  mountain  which  they  had  just 
left. 

It  needed  no  second  glance  to  assure  the  fugitives  of  the  fact  that 
these  men  were  rebels  and  guerrillas ;  indeed,  Fred  Merrigold  read- 
ily recognized  in  them  a  party  of  his  late  associates. 

u  Quick,  this  way!"  he  ejaculated  to  his  companion,  drawing  him 
hurriedly  behind  the  shelter  of  some  friendly  laurel  bushes. 

Thus  concealed  from  the  view  of  the  Confederates,  the  two  fugi- 
tives began  to  arrange  their  plans. 

"  Produce  your  weapons,"  observed  Merrigold ;  "  we  must  never 
allow  them  to  cross  the  canyon.  If  we  do,  our  doom  is  sealed 
forever." 

"Unfortunately  I  have  no  weapons  about  me— not  even  a  jack- 
knife,"  replied  Frank,  and  he  hastily  explained  the  reason  there- 
for. 

"Well,  I  have  a  revolver,  that  is  all;  but  I  know  how  to  use  it 
effectually.  Make  your  way  up  tbe  mountain  as  carefully  as  pos- 
sible. I  will  remain  here,  guard  the  bridge,  and  guarantee  to  make 
it  exceedingly  interesting  for  all  who  attempt  to  pass  over  to  this 
side  of  the  range." 

Frank,  however,  with  a  trusty,  courageous  principle  could  not 
be  induced  to  desert  his  friend,  but  announced  it  as  his  intention 
to  stand  by  him  through  thick  and  thin. 

The  guerrillas  paused  near  the  spot  where  the  tree  trunk  stretch- 
ed across  the  gulch,  and  set  about  making  preparations  for  break- 
fast. 

Evidently  they  had  thus  far  failed  to  discover  the  presence  of 
the  fugitives,  and,  while  they  delayed,  Fred  and  Frank  hurried  up 
the  i  jcky  side  of  th«  mountain,  where  they  were  soon  safely  en- 
sconsed  behind  a  number  of  huge  bowlders. 

If  they  insist  upon  coming  across  we  will  treat  them  to  a  few  of 
these  heavy  bowlders,"  suggested  Frank;  "that  is,  if  we  can  man- 
age to  move  them." 

"An  excellent  idea,"  acquiesced  Fred. 

They  took  hold  of  one,  and  found,  to  their  satisfaction,  that  by 


U.  UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS. 

exerting  their  combined  strength  they  could  move  one  of  the  rocks, 
and  having  poised  it,  in  order  to  have  it  ready  when  occasion  re- 
quired, felt  confident  of  their  ability  to  lanch  it  forth  and  send  it 
bounding  on  its  mission  of  destruction  down  upon  the  luckless 
members  of  Capwell's  guerrillas  in  the  event  of  their  making  an 
attempt  to  cross  the  canyon  on  the  tree  trunk. 

Our  friends  discovered  a  neat  place  on  a  projecting  shelf  of  rock, 
where  they  could  lie  in  the  greatest  security  and  watch  every 
movement  of  the  enemy. 

"  If  they  discover  the  tree  and  start  across  it  they  sign  their  own 
death  warrant,"  Fred  Merrigold  muttered  through  his  clinched 
teeth. 


When  the  guerrilla  captain  discovered  the  absence  of  the  girl, 
and  heard  from  Merton,  the  man  Who  had  been  on  guard,  that 
Fred  Merrigold  had  taken  her  away,  observing  that  it  was  Cap- 
well's  wish  to  have  her  conducted  to  his  tent,  that  worthy  was  be- 
side himself  with  rage. 

He  instantly  conjectured  that,  smitten  with  her  charms,  Fred 
had  induced  her  to  elope  with  him,  and  he  had  deserted  his  com- 
mand. 

Hastening  to  Greyson's  headquarters  the  guerrilla  chief  assured 
himself  of  the  young  soldier's  absence;  then  he  communicated  his 
fears  to  Greyson. 

The  latter,  however,  laughed  at  him,  and  assured  him  that  Merri- 
gold was  engaged  to  his  prospective  sister-in-law ;  therefore  it  was 
not  likely  he  would  be  foolish  enough  to  allow  himself  to  be  "smit- 
ten with  Miss  Sperry's  rustic  beauty." 

Although  he  said  this,  Greyson,  to  say  the  least,  felt  uneasy,  for 
he  had  long  questioned  the  sincerity  of  Merrigold's  feelings  toward 
the  Southern  cause. 

It  now  appeared  to  him  that  his  courier  had  taken  "  French 
leave,"  and  when,  as  morning  came,  Fred  failed  to  return,  the 
truth  of  the  situation  dawned  upon  his  mind. 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  the  girl  has  slipped  through  my  hands?" 
growled  Capwell,  as  he  stalked  up  and  down  before  his  tent,  grind- 
ing his  teeth  in  baffled  rage. 

"  What  an  idiot  I  was  to  trust  her  out  of  my  sight,"  he  continu- 
ed, furiously.  "  Ho,  men  !"  he  suddenly  exclaimed.  "  I  must  have 
ten  of  you  at  once  to  follow  me  after  Merrigold,  the  deserter  and 
the  girl;  they  have  skipped  together." 

He  picked  his  men,  and  having  mounted  the  best  horse  procur- 
able, the  cavalcade  followed  their  rough  leader  in  silence. 

The  deserter  and  his  companion  had,  however,  fully  five  hours 
the  start  of  them,  but  Capwell  took  the  precaution  to  bring  with 
him  two  bloodhouuds  belonging  to  a  man  named  Hank  Hager,  one 
of  the  guerrillas  who   had   had  extensive  experience  in  his  day 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  55 

huutiug  negroes  through  the  swamps  of  Georgia,  with  the  fero- 
cious animals. 

The  dogs  readily  struck  the  trail  and  followed  it.  When  they 
reached  the  spot  where  Sperry  and  his  daughted  had  mounted 
horses  and  left  the  two  young  men  to  proceed  on  foot,  there  was 
evidently  quite  a  difference  of  opinion,  which  occasioned  much 
discussion. 

Finally  it  was  decided  that  those  who  had  mounted  horses  were 
probably  Federals  who  had  come  to  assist  Merrigold,  and  that  he 
and  the  girl  had  doubtless  struck  into  the  mountains,  hoping  thus 
to  elude  pursuit  and  gain  Sperry's  cabin. 

In  any  case,  they  knew  it  was  useless  to  pursue  the  mounted 
men,  for  their  start  would  have  enabled  them  to  gain  the  Union 
camp  with  comparative  ease  ;  and  therefore  it  was  decided  to  fol- 
low those  who  had  taken  to  the  mountains,  presumably  Fred  and 
the  girl. 

Hank  Hager  went  ahead  with  his  dogs,  and  shortly  returned, 
stating  that  the  sagacious  brutes  had  struck  the  trail  of  the  fugi- 
tives. 

Tbis  announcement  was  hailed  with  a  shout  of  joy  and  eagerly 
the  guerrillas  pressed  onward. 

Had  they  anticipated  the  warm  reception  which  they  were  des- 
tined to  receive,  it  is  doubtful  if  they  would  have  felt  so  much 
ardor. 

Having  reached  a  good  altitude  they  left  their  horses  in  the  care 
of  three  of  the  men,  and  then  satisfied  that  their  game  was  "  treed  " 
they  paused  to  breakfast  a  little  further  on,  when  their  presence 
was  discovered  by  our  two  friends  as  already  stated. 

The  young  soldiers  continued  to  watch  the  guerrillas  from  their 
covert,  ever  ou  the  alert  to  detect  any  indication  of  the  enemy's 
advance  upon  their  position. 

Suddenly  they  were  made  aware  of  a  commotion  among  Clint 
Capwell's  men. 

The  baying  of  the  bloodhounds  announced  the  fact  that  they  had 
discovered  the  trail  of  the  fugitives  leading  to  the  tree  trunk,  and 
this  new  achievement  was  hailed  with  cheers. 

Hank  Hager  now  pushed  on  through  the  heavy  growth  of 
bushes  and  shortly  stood  facing  the  deep  canyon. 

It  was  a  thrilling  moment  for  our  two  friends. 

"Theyhev  crossed  on  this  yer  log,  boys;  now  let's  after  'em 
right  smart." 

As  he  spoke  he  stepped  upon  the  tree  trunk  and  proceeded  leis- 
urely to  cross,  little  suspecting  the  danger  which  was  menacing 
him. 

He  had  not  taken  five  steps  before  his  followers  were  horrified  to 
see  him  throw  up  his  arms  spasmodically,  and  with  a  scream  of 
mortal  agony  plunge  head  foremost  into  the  dark  canyon. 


56  TTNDEB  THE  STABS  AND  BARS. 

Crack  !  rang  the  sharp,  stinging  report  of  a  revolver,  echoing  his 
death  cry. 

The  men  drew  back  instinctively,  terror-stricken  at  the  fate  of 
their  comrade. 

Indeed  so  great  was  their  consternation  that  they  would  have 
fled  from  the  spot  in  a  precipitate  retreat  had  it  not  been  for  the 
imperative  command  of  Clint  Capwell  to  "  stand  firm  "  and  "  open 
fire." 

They  aimed  for  a  spot  in  the  bushes  where  a  little  circling  wreath 
of  bluish  smoke  betrayed  the  presence  of  the  marksman  who  had 
so  abruptly  cut  short  Hager's  career,  and  delivered  a  crashing  vol- 
ley which  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  ridge.] 

Fortunately,  however,  our  fugitives  escaped  injury,  although 
the  bullets  whizzed  about  in  pretty  close  proximity. 

Merrigold,  with  consummate  coolness  returned  the  fire,  picking 
off  two  more  of  the  miscreants  with  the  accuracy  and  ease  of  a 
veteran  sharpshooter,  and  silencing  the  snarling  of  one  of  the  dogs 
by  a  well  aimed  pellet. 

Capwell  had  lost  three  of  his  men,  but  finding  he  had  still  seven 
remaining — for  those  left  in  charge  of  the  horses,  alarmed  by  the 
firing,  now  appeared  upon  the  scene — called  on  them  to  follow  him, 
and  whipping  out  his  sword  started  across  the  tree  trunk  flourish- 
ing the  weapon  above  his  head. 

A  shot  from  Merrieold  knocked  his  hat  off,  and  sent  it  circling 
into  the  canyon. 

He  drew  his  revolver  and  quickly  returned  the  fire,  and  Merri- 
gold uttered  a  cry  of  mortal  agony. 

"  Hurrah !  I've  fixed  the  rascal !"  cried  Capwell,  in  accents  of  de- 
light.   "  Come  on,  boys ;  now  for  the  girl." 

Elated  with  his  success  they  followed  him  upon  the  log. 

The  cry  uttered  by  Merrigold  was  only  a  ruse,  however,  for  he 
was  still  uninjured,  and  noticing  their  impetuous  charge  in  conse- 
quence, he  and  Faulkner  quickly  brought  all  the  strength  which 
they  could  command  to  bear  upon  the  heavy  bowlder,  and  sent  it 
crashing  and  thunderiug  down  the  side  of  the  declivity. 

As  if  guided  by  the  hand  of  fate,  with  unerring  accuracy  the 
heavy,  solid  projectile  struck  the  log,  shivering  it  into  splinters, 
and  hurling  its  unfortunate  occupants  with  crushing  force  into 
the  canyon  far  below. 

A  wild,  moaning  scream  was  borne  to  their  ears  as  the  six  forms 
disappeared. 

Such  was  the  dreadful  fate  of  Clint  Capwell,  the  guerrilla  chief, 
an  appropriate  end  for  a  rascally  career. 

Only  one  of  the  guerrillas  escaped,  and  he  ran  away  in  pell  mell 
haste,  secured  a  horse,  and  hastened  from  the  scene  of  destruction 
to  bear  the  news  to  the  Confederate  camp. 


UNDER  THE  STARS   AND   BARS.  57 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

GALLANT  ACTION   OF  MAJOR  POWERS. 

After  having  disposed  of  the  guerrillas  in  this  summary  manner, 
our  two  friends  hastened  over  the  mountains  until  they  reached 
the  Federal  camp. 

As  may  be  readily  supposed,  Colonel  Faulkner  was  hailed  with 
shouts  of  joy  and  warm  congratulations,  for  although  old  Nathan 
Sperry  had  reached  camp  in  due  time  with  his  family,  and  ex- 
plained the  cause  of  our  hero's  absence,  yet  the  officers  of  his  com- 
mand were  far  from  feeliug  assured  of  his  safety,  and  were  just 
about  starting  with  troops  to  his  assistance  when  Frank  oppor- 
tunely arrived,  thus  setting  all  fears  at  rest. 

The  first  thing  he  proposed  doing  was  to  move  at  once  upon  the 
enemy's  position,  and  carry  it  forthwith. 

Accordingly,  marshaling  all  his  troopers,  he  ordered  an  immedi- 
ate advance  as  infantry,  and  took  personal  command,  marching  at 
the  head  of  the  column. 

No  drums  beat  to  announce  their  approach,  but  silently  the  gal- 
lant troopers  picked  their  way  along  under  the  friendly  shadow  of 
the  mountains. 

Approaching  the  vicinity  of  the  Confederate  camp,  Frank 
ordered  a  halt  in  a  grove  of  waving,  aromatic  pines,  and  sent  for- 
ward four  men  under  Major  Powers  to  reconnoiter. 

These  crept  silently  along  until  they  reached  a  spot  within  ten 
feet  of  the  entrance  to  the  glade  in  which  the  rebels  were  en» 
camped,  when  Powers,  cautioning  his  men  to  ens(  o:ice  themselves 
in  the  laun  1  thicket  and  maintain  absolute  quiet,  aud  armed  only 
with  a  cocked  revolver  which  he  stuck  in  his  sash  within  easy 
reach,  he  silently  crawled  along  through  the  rank  growth  of 
weeds  until  he  reached  the  very  spot  where  a  most  admirable  view 
of  the  Confederate  camp  could  be  secured. 

Looking  about  him  critically,  he  was  surprised  to  observe  that 
not  five  paces  to  the  left  of  him  stood  a  brass  twelve  pounder, 
which  the  rebels  had  placed  there  to  guard  the  pass. 

Near  this  piece  of  ordinance,  reposing  upon  the  ground  in  the 
utmost  composure,  were  two  rebel  artillerists. 

One  of  these  seemed  already  asleep,  and  the  other  was  too  busy 
endeavoring  to  fix  his  pipe,  to  notice  the  approach  of  anybody 
with  hostile  intentions. 

Powers  no  sooner  saw  the  state  of  things  than  it  flashed  across 
his  mind  what  an  excellent  idea  it  would  be  to  get  possession  of 
the  gun,  or  at  least  spike  it,  and  thus  render  it  useless  for  the 
enemy,  in  the  event  of  their  inability  to  capture  it  and  remove  it 
successfully. 

Being  possessed  of  the  greatest  courage,  he  never  thought  of  re- 
quiring assistance  in  carrying  out  his  project,  but  no  sooner  did 
the  thought  suggest  itself  than  he  forthwith  proceeded  to  putit  into 
execution. 


58  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  EARS. 

Quietly  approaching  the  rebel  who  was  endeavoring  to  get  his 
pipe  to  draw,  Powers  struck  him  a  quick,  deft  and  crushing  blow 
with  the  heavy  butt  of  his  revolver  back  of  the  ear,  and  he  sank 
upon  the  grass  stunned,  without  uttering  a  sound. 

Securing  some  rope  from  the  caisson  of  the  gun,  the  gallant 
Powers  had  his  hands  and  feet  secured  in  a  trice,  and  then  per- 
formed the  same  inte  e  ting  ceremoi  y  for  the  other  man,  after 
which  he  effectively  gagged  both  of  the  discomfited  rebels  by 
forcing  tufts  of  grass  into  their  mouths. 

This  accomplished,  he  summoned  his  four  men  who,  under  his 
directions,  turned  the  piece  around  and  dragged  it  slowly  back- 
ward toward  their  comrades,  who,  the  moment  they  saw  them 
coming,  broke  into  an  involuntary  cheer. 

Concealment  now  being  out  of  the  question  the  troopers  at 
Frank's  command  seized  the  piece  and  dragged  it  up  the  ridge 
until  a  favorable  point  was  secured  when  they  opened  upon  the 
rebel  camp  with  their  own  gun  at  point-blank  range. 

The  consternation  of  the  Confederates  was  stupendous  when 
they  found  the  shot,  shell  and  canister  shrieking  among  them.  In 
vain  did  their  heroic  officers  urge  them  to  storm  the  Federal  posi- 
tion ;  but  with  dismay  pictured  on  their  haggard  countenances, 
they  fell  back  to  the  shelter  of  the  rocks,  from  whence  they  poured 
in  a  scorching  musketry  fire. 

The  bursting  shells  soon  set  fire  to  the  abandoned  tents  and 
camp  equipage  of  the  enemy  which  were  gradually  destroyed  be- 
fore their  eyes,  eliciting  yells  of  rage  and  fierce  oaths  from  the 
rebels  and  guerrillas. 

At  length,  greatly  overmatched  in  courage  and  persistency,  if 
not  in  numbers,  by  the  Federals,  the  rebels  took  to  their  heels  and 
fled,  hastening  in  the  direction  of  Murfreesboro',  where  they 
eventually  joined  Bragg's  army. 

After  the  effectual  dispersement  of  the  guerrillas  as  above  de- 
scribed, Colonel  Faulkner  and  his  command  proceeded  to  Nash- 
ville, where  they  were  assigned  to  the  cavalry  corps  of  Rosecrans' 
army. 

While  at  Nashville,  our  hero  did  the  country  a  good  service  in 
the  apprehension  of  a  notorious  rebel  spy  whom  he  set  about,  with 
the  skill  of  an  experienced  detective,  to  ensnare. 

Meeting  his  man  one  evening  while  strolling  about  the  street, 
and  observing  him  acting  suspiciously,  although  clothed  in  the 
uniform  of  a  Federal  lieutenant,  he  accosted  him  as  follows: 

"  Well,  comrade,  I  see  you  are  wandering  about  apparently  as 
aimlessly  as  myself;  suppose  we  call  in  at  the  St.  Charles  and  have 
a  game  of  billiards." 

"  No,  thank  you,  I  never  play." 

"Well,  stroll  with  me  toward  camp;  I  expected  to  meet  my 
friend,  Major  Powers,  ere  this,  but  he  has  disappointed  me, 
though  I  cannot  imagine  why  he  should  do  so." 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  59 

At  the  mention  of  Major  Powers'  name  the  stranger  paled  visi- 
bly, his  lip3  twitching  nervously,  as  he  stammered  : 

N— no ;  I  do  not  care  to  move  in  that  direction.  Fact  is,  I  have 
an  appointment  here  and  must  wait  in  this  vicinity  until  1  can  see 
the  party  who  agree  to  meet  me." 

"  Yery  good.  Ah  !  here  comes  Major  Powers  now.  By  the  way, 
what  did  you  say  your  name  was?" 

"Alton  Garland,  of  the Indiana  cavalry." 

"  Did  I  understand  3rou  to  say  of  the Indiana  cavalry  '/" 

"  The  same,"  returned  Garlaud,  nervously. 

"Then,  by  Jupiter !  you  are  a  fraud  and  humbug,  for  that  is  my 
own  command  and  I  know  you  do  not  belong  to  it,"  replied 
Faulknei ,  with  emphasis.  "  I  have  a  suspicion  that  you  are  Brad 
Belden,  the  spy,  and  as  such,  have  a  great  mind  to  denounce  you 
forthwith." 

"  Colonel,  I  wouldn't  do  that  if  I  were  you ;  it  would  be  ex- 
tremely foolish  on  your  part  to  expose  me,  even  if  I  were  a  spy," 
he  hissed,  his  small,  black  eyes  blazing  savagely. 

"  I  am  convinced  that  you  are  a  spy  !"  exclaimed  Faulkner. 

"Then  this  bullet  may  serve  to  crowd  that  absurd  conviction 
out  of  your  addled  brain,"  growled  Garland,  drawing  a  revolver 
and  discharging  it  point-blank  at  Faulkner's  head. 

The  bullet  buzzed  close  to  our  hero's  ear  and  plowed  a  ridge  in 
the  side  of  his  skull. 

Without  waiting  to  note  the  effect  of  his  shot,  the  cowardly  vil- 
lain took  to  his  heels  and  ran  as  fast  as  his  legs  would  carry  him, 
dodging  back  and  forth  to  avoid  the  bullets  which  Faulkner,  and 
Powers,  who  had  now  joined  him,  sent  hustling  after  him. 

"  I  was  in  hopes  you  would  have  detained  him  a  few  moments," 
observed  Powers.  "  I  have  a  score  to  wipe  out  with  that  murder- 
ous cur  ever  since  he  jabbed  his  bayonet  into  me  when  I  lay 
wounded  on  the  battlefield." 

"  He  seemed  to  quail  when  I  mentioned  your  name." 

"Yes,  he  knows  I  am  after  him  and  I  only  hope  I  shall  yet  get 
him  in  my  clutches." 

While  the  above  hurried  conversation  was  in  progress  the  two 
men  were  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  fleeing  Garland. 

Chasing  him  down  one  street  they  saw  him  suddenly  dive  into  a 
paint-shop,  followed  by  a  bullet  which  whizzed  through  a  pane  of 
glass  close  by  his  head ;  reaching  the  place  they  rushed  in  and 
were  surprised  to  see  the  place  deserted. 

Hastening  out  of  a  back  door  through  which  they  supposed  he 
had  emerged,  they  crossed  a  small  yard  full  of  old  rubbish,  ash- 
barrels,  empty  boxes  and  oil  casks,  and  came  upon  a  long  pair  of 
rough,  wooden  steps  leading  to  the  upper  story  tenement  of  a 
house  in  the  rear. 

As  there  was  a  high  brick  wall  around  the  enclosure,  and  the 
gate  io  the  same  was  securely  fastened  with  bolts  and  bars  on  the 


60  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

inside,  it  was  at  once  evident  to  the  pursuers  that  their  man  had 
not  effected  his  escape  in  that  quarter. 

"  He  must  have  gone  up  these  steps,"  exclaimed  Faulkner,  fear- 
lessly beginning  to  ascend  the  rough  string  pieces,  being  followed 
closely  by  Powers. 

"Yes,  there's  not  the  least  doubt  it,"  returned  Powers,  readily 
concurring. 

When  they  reached  the  top,  they  observed  a  little  colored  chap, 
about  ten  years  old,  perched  upon  the  door-sill  gazing  in  apparent 
wonder  at  the  unusual  intrusion. 

"  Did  you  see  a  man  who  just  came  up  here,  Charlie  ?"  asked 
Faulkner. 

"  No,  massa  sojer,  no  man  eber  dimmed  up  here  to-night,  no 
how.  I  been  here  all  time,  and  'pears  likely  no  one  could  get  up 
here  without  me  seein'  him." 

"Well,  we  will  go  in  and  see,  in  any  case,"  suggested  Powers. 

Accordingly  they  stepped  upon  the  threshold  and  were  just 
about  to  enter,  when  the  little  darky,  young  as  he  was,  bravely  in- 
terposed, observing: 

"  Yer  keantgo  in  der,  dat  my  house,  and  I  'ont  let  you." 

While  he  spoke  the  little  fellow  drew  himself  to  his  full  height, 
and  clinched  his  little  dusky  fists  menacingly. 

Both  men  could  not  help  admiring  this  unusual  display  of  cour- 
age in  one  so  young;  but,  without  pausing  to  heed  his  remark, 
walked  into  the  room,  pistols  in  hand. 

Meeting  a  fat,  ebony-colored  Dinah,  with  a  calico  turban  twist- 
ed around  her  woolly  head,  Faulkner  greeted  her  with: 

"  Good  evening,  aunty,  did  you  see  any  man  dodge  in  here  a  few 
moments  ago  ?" 

"Fore  de  Lord,  mars  sojer,  I  didn't,  'deed  I  didn't." 

She  was  so  earnest  in  her  protestations  to  the  contrary  as  to 
arouse  Faulkner's  suspicious,  and  he  and  Powers,  despite  her  urging 
to  depart  thence,  instituted  and  proceeded  with  a  careful  search 
of  the  premises. 

Their  persistency  was  at  length  rewarded  by  the  discovery  of 
the  form  of  a  man  hidden  beneath  the  bedclothes  in  an  attie 
ohamber. 

Sure  now  of  their  prey,  both  Federals  covered  the  figure  with 
their  revolvers,  and  Faulkner  exclaimed: 

"  Unoover  there,  you  treacherous  spy,  and  surrender,  or  we'll 
let  daylight  through  your  carcass." 

Pretending  to  be  aroused  from  a  heavy  slumber,  the  man  slowly 
raised  his  head,  and  both  looked  him  squarely  in  the  face,  instant- 
ly recoiling  in  astonishment. 

The  man's  face  was  black  as  coal ! 

"  Dat's  my  ole  man,"  observed  Dinah,  at  this  juncture  entering 
the  room;  "  he's  been  took  sick  wid  chills  and  fever,  and  J'se  nuss- 
ing  him," 


UNDER   THE   STARS  AND  BARS.  61 

"  Mighty  strauge  he  should  be  in  bed  with  his  boots  on,"  ob- 
served Powers,  turning  up  the  bedclothes  and  revealing  his  heavy 
hob-nailed  brogans.    "The   game  is  up,  Brad    Belden;  throw  up 

your  hands,  or "  and  he  presented  his  shining  revolver  at  the 

head  of  the  pretended  darky,  menacingly. 

"  Well,"  grunted  the  spy,  for  it  was  really  he,  "I  'spose  I'll  have 
to  acknowledge  the  corn  and  knock  under  to  you  fellows." 

"  That's  about  the  size  of  it,"  chuckled  Powers;  "  hand  over  your 
shooter." 

With  ill  grace  the  baffled  spy  complied,  accompanying  the  move- 
ment with  a  ghastly  smile,  as  he  hissed: 

"You've  got  me  now;  but  I'll  never  hang  as  a  spy,  on  that  you 
can  bet  your  life,  Yanks.  Oh,  I'm  a  slippery  critter,  and  if  I  don't 
slide  through  your  fingers  I'll  eat  an  anchor,  and  don't  you  for- 
get it." 

Whether  he  intended  to  fulfill  his  promise  or  not,  I  am  unable  to 
say;  but  certain  it  is,  that  he  did  not  slip  through  the  fingers  of 
his  captors.  lie  was  handed  over  to  the  authorities  at  camp, 
speedily  court-martialed  and  iu  due  time  executed. 

Thus  our  hero  was  the  means  of  securing  the  good  riddauce  of 
one  of  the  most  daring  and  dangerous  rebel  spies  with  which  the 
Federal  army  was  afflicted. 

It  should  be  here  stated  that  the  spy  had  procured  lamp-black 
when  he  dived  into  the  paint-shop,  with  which  he  effected  the  re- 
markable change  in  his  appearance. 

General  Rosecrans  sent  for  Frank  and  personally  congratulated 
him  upon  his  effective  work,  assuring  him  of  his  intention  to 
transmit  the  particulars  of  the*case  to  the  war  department  at  Wash- 
ington, and  claim  a  suitable  recognition  of  the  heroic  deed  for  his 
young  officer. 

At  the  same  time  he  appointed  Colonel  Faulkner  on  his  staff 
as  assistant  adjutant  general  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
death  of  Colonel  Richard  E.  Grant,  the  officer  who  had  previous- 
ly held  that  position. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

BATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER. 

On  or  about  the  twentieth  of  December  1862,  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  struck  tents  and  moved  from  its  camping  grounds  a 
mile  or  two  south  of  Nashville,  by  the  way  of  nearly  two  parellel 
pikes  in  the  direction  of  Murfreesboro',  where  Bragg's  army  had 
lain  a  number  of  months. 

The  division  under  General  Jefferson  C.  Davis  took  the  Franklin 
pike,  while  most  of  the  troops  proceeded  by  the  Murfreesboro' 
road. 

Having  marched  five  or  six  miles  they  reached  a  favorable  point, 
where  they  remained  a  few  days. 


62  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

It  appeared  as  though  Roseerans  had  some  misgivings  as  regards 
the  result  of  au  attack  ou  Bragg,  for  he  moved  slowly  and  with 
exceeding  caution. 

He  need  not  have  entertained  any  fears,  for  the  whole  force  of 
fifty  thousand  Federals  was  so  well  handled  by  their  officers  that 
they  could  have  been  thrown  into  line  of  battle  in  a  few  moments, 
should  occasion  require. 

Most  of  the  troops  had  seen  some  fighting  in  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  and  did  not  in  the  least  dread  to  encounter  Bragg's 
army. 

On  the  contrary,  they  were  tired  of  inactivity  and  the  monoto- 
nous routine  of  camp  life,  and  most  of  them  were  eager  for  a  great 
battle,  in  which  they  could  demonstrate  their  supremacy  and  win 
the  laurels  of  victors. 

"  'Tis  sweet  to  die  on  the  field  of  battle, 

When  all  around  are  sounds  of  strife; 
The  cannons  roar,  and  rifles  rattle, 

The  burst  of  bomb  and  shriek  of  fife, 
Your  country's  standard  waving  o'er  you, 

Your  arm  raised  in  a  rightful  cause, 
A  hero's  grave,  and  fame  before  you, 

Giving  your  life  for  a  nation's  laws." 

The  eve  of  a  battle  is  like  the  calm  before  the  storm,  fraught 
with  all  kinds  of  significant  incidents. 

Some  of  the  soldiers  employed  the  sacred  time  in  writing  affec- 
tionate epistles  to  loved  ones  at  home;  others  devoted  the  fleeting 
moments  of,  perhaps,  that  last  evening  on  earth  to  invoking  the 
divine  blessing  of  God  upon  the  loyal  arms  aud  praying  for  their 
preservation ;  while  others,  less  religiously  imbued,  whiled  away 
the  waning  hours  in  a  social  game  of  cards  or  a  merry  gathering 
around  the  camp-fire ;  telling  yarns  or  singing  some  of  the  patri- 
otic songs,  which  were  at  that  time  familiar  to  every  ear. 

The  rebel  army  divisions  were  commanded  by  General  Negley — 
two  divisions— and  General  Breckenridge,  one  division. 

The  rebel  generals,  Forrest  and  Morgan  with  strong  forces  of 
cavalry,  occupied  the  whole  surrounding  country. 

John  Morgan's  troopers  had,  a  few  days  previous  to  the  battle, 
surrounded  and  captured  a  Federal  force  of  fifteen  hundred 
men. 

The  rebel  general,  Hardee,  held  a  position  on  the  Nolensville 
pike,  a  little  to  the  south  of  the  village ;  the  remainder  of  the 
Confederate  force  was  at  Murfreesboro',  where  Bragg  had  concen- 
trated his  invincible  army. 

Roseerans  ordered  General  McCook  to  advance  up  the  Nolens- 
ville pike  toward  Hardee's  position. 

General  Crittenden  was  to  proceed  up  the  Murfreesboro'  pike  to 
Lavergne. 

General  Thomas  was  to  push  forward,  and  in  conjunction  with 
McCook,  to  dislodge  Hardee. 


T'XDER  THE  STARS  AND   BAfiS.  Cut 

All  these  movements  were  carried  out  as  perfectly  as  could  be 
desired. 

Hardee,  finding  he  was  unable  to  cope  with  the  matchless  divis- 
i  his  send  to  grapple  with  him,  fell  back  toward  Murfreesboro'. 

The  rebel  intrenchments  were  exceeding  strong  and  well  covered 
by  a  thick  cedar  forest  which  sheltered  their  front  approach, 
while  on  the  west  flowed  Stone  river,  the  stream  from  which  the 
famous  and  bloody  battle  was  named. 

General  Polk  commanded  the  right  of  this  position,  General  E 
Kirby  Smith  the  center,  and  General  Hardee,  when  driven  from 
Noleusville,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  left. 

General  Breekenridge  commanded  one  of  Polk's  divisions. 

Opposite  these  intrenchments  the  national  line  was  steadfastly 
arrayed  ;  the  right,  held  by  General  McCook,  the  center,  by  Gen- 
eral Thomas,  and  the  left,  resting  on  the  Stone  river,  by  General 
Crittenden. 

The  pike  and  railroad  here  ran  close  to  each  other — indeed,  quite 
near  together,  passing  from  a  slight  rise  of  ground  nearly  to  the 
river;  close  to  the  pike  were  thick  cedar  woods  and  tangled  al- 
most impassible  ground. 

General  Sheridan  commanded  the  redoubtable  brigade  which 
was  pushed  forward  into  these  dark  woods — a  spot  which  the  Con- 
federates subsequently  named — "  Hell's  Half  Acre,"  owing  to  the 
fierce  seething  torrent  of  shot  and  shell  which  devastated  the 
fated  place  and  hurled  hundreds  into  eternity. 

As  the  Federal  brigade,  under  Sheridan,  approached  this  cedar 
forest,  a  Unionist  came  forward  with  the  intelligence  that  the 
Confederates,  under  Bragg,  had  massed  their  troops  in  a  strongly 
intrenched  position  on  the  west  bank  of  Stone  river,  where  they 
stood  determined  to  prevent  further  advance  upon  Murfreesboro'. 

General  Sheridan  immediately  ordered  forward  several  batter- 
ies of  artillery,  and  opened  upon  the  enemy  with  shell  and  spher- 
ical case,  delivering  a  most  effective  fire. 

The  rebels  formed  in  solid  platoons  and  charged  upon  the  bat- 
teries with  reckless  determination  ;  but  the  grim  gunners  poured 
in  their  terrific  enfilading  fire  and  mowed  down  the  gallant  gray- 
coats  by  the  score  at  each  successive  discharge. 

Three  times  did  they  rally  and  repeat  the  heroic  charge,  only  to 
fall  back  crushed,  shattered  and  bleeding  after  each  assault. 

All  day  long  the  battle  raged.  The  harvest  of  death  was  terri- 
ble ;  the  fruitless  carnage  fearful ! 

«    Whole  companies  of  Confederates  were  blown  in  fragments  from 
before  the  muzzles  of  the  death-dealing  guns. 

Comparatively  few  were  wounded;  men  went  down  to  die,  when 
torn  and  mangled  by  the  fearful  deluge  of  grape  and  cannister 
which  was  incessantly  rained  upon  them. 

Colonel  Faulkner  was  in  command  of  a  squadron  of  cavalry  in 
General  Sheridan's  command. 


64  UNDER   THE  STABS  AND   BARS. 

He  led  his  gallant  troopers  in  many  a  deadly  charge  on  that 
memorable  day,  among  the  cedars  and  across  the  open  ground  be- 
yond. 

This  battle  was  the  most  exciting  one  in  which  he  had  ever  par- 
ticipated. Never  had  death  reaped  so  wild  a  harvest  before  his 
eyes. 

The  rebels  seemed  imbued  with  the  fierce  fury  of  incarnate  de- 
mons. 

They  stopped  for  nothing. 

Death  had  no  terrors  for  them. 

Like  a  seething  whirlwind  they  swept  upon  the  boys  in  blue,  and 
the  horrible  din  of  battle  grew  into  a  perfect  pandemonium  of 
harsh  sounds. 

It  seemed  as  though  nothing  could  stay  the  overwhelming  fierce- 
ness of  their  impetuous  charges ;  nothing  withstand  their  terrible 
assaults. 

Colonel  Faulkner  instinctively  felt  himself  in  the  tightest  fix  of 
his  life.  For  a  moment  he  completely  lost  control  of  himself,  and 
was  nearly  crazed  with  excitement. 

"  Forward,  boys!"  he  cried,  hoarsely,  "and  good-by  to  old 
Ohio." 

The  roar  of  the  conflict  became  terrible. 

Shot  and  shell  crashed  in  the  trees,  exploding  among  the 
troops,  and  tearing  great  chasms  in  their  gallant  lines;  still  they 
did  not  hesitate  or  falter,  but  encouraged  by  the  heroic  example 
of  their  commanding  officers,  who  led  them  with  characteristic 
abandon,  pushed  forward  eagerly. 

The  fighting  among  the  cedars  grew  fierce  and  furious.  Men  fell 
as  thickly  as  the  forest  leaves  in  autumn.  The  whole  ground  was 
literally  covered  with  crushed  and  bleeding  humanity,  in  every 
conceivable  shape,  position  and  condition. 

Finally  the  rebels,  concentrating  several  brigades,  made  an  im- 
petuous charge  upon  the  brave  Phil  Sheridan  and  his  shattered 
battalions. 

Seeing  that  their  overwhelming  rush  would  be  utterly  irresisti- 
ble by  his  decimated  forces,  with  keen  perception  he  looked  about 
him  for  a  loophole  through  which  to  withdraw,  in  time  to  avert 
annihilation. 

His  quick  eye  fell  upon  a  swamp  to  the  right  of  his  position,  and 
toward  this  he  wheeled  his  troops,  handling  them  with  matchless 
skill. 

From  this  swamp  his  brigade  poured  in  such  a  scorching  fire  that 
the  rebels  broke  and  fell  back  to  re-form  under  shelter  of  the  thick 
woods. 

In  the  meantime  the  battle  raged  as  fiercely  all  along  the  front 
and  at  each  wing. 

The  rebels,  inspired  with  ardent  enthusiasm,  were  absolutely 
fearless. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  65 

Their  terrific  assaults  were  almost  irresistible. 

By  fierce  and  determined  fighting,  they  drove  the  Federal  center 
completely  back  to  the  railroad,  and  forced  back  the  entire  line 
with  the  exception  of  the  left  wing. 

The  Federal  officers  were  appalled. 

Nothing  but  retreat  would  save  their  army  from  destruction. 

Brave  and  resolute  General  Rosecrans  still  had  confidence  in  his 
plans,  and  rode  back  and  forth  in  the  fiery  tide  of  battle  with  con- 
summate coolness. 

While  aides  and  staff  officers  fell  all  around  him,  he  was  fortu- 
nately unscathed. 

Forming  a  new  position  at  the  railroad,  he  massed  all  available 
batteries  at  that  commanding  point,  and  as  the  rebels  threw  for- 
ward four  full  brigades  in  a  sweeping  charge,  concentrated  a  ter- 
rible fire  upon  their  columns. 

It  was  a  glorious  charge  ! 

The  maddening  excitement  and  horrible  suspense  of  the  moment 
was  awful  to  contemplate. 

Colonel  Faulkner,  bearing  a  dispatch  to  General  Rosecrans  from 
Sheridan,  had  barely  time  to  spur  his  horse  beyond  the  line  of  bat- 
teries ere  they  opened  in  a  crashing  blast  upon  the  hitherto  invin- 
cible horde  of  gray. 

On  came  the  rebels  with  the  fury  of  a  cyclone. 

They  were  perfectly  reckless  and,  as  the  thundering  guns  hurled 
their  deadly  grape  and  canister  among  them,  and  plowed  great 
swathes  in  their  ranks,  they  nimbly  leaped  over  the  bodies  of  the 
fallen,  and,  grasping  their  muskets  more  fiercely,  pressed  on 
with  renewed  vigor  up  to  the  very  muzzles  of  the  guns ! 

Was  ever  more  gallant  heroism  displayed  upon  the  field  of 
battle  ? 

Shiloh  in  its  fiercest  blaze  was  no  worse  than  Stone  River. 

The  rebel  bullets  pattered  like  rain  drops  among  the  line  of 
blue. 

It  is  the  musket  that  tells.  Cannon  seldom  do  as  great  execution 
as  a  few  muskets  well  handled  will  accomplish. 

General  Rosecrans  read  Sheridan's  dispatch  under  this  furious 
fire,  and  then,  turning  to  our  hero,  bade  him  ride  to  General 
Cruft,  who  was  hammering  away  at  the  rebel  center  in  the  vicinity 
of  an  old,  partially-burned  brick  house,  and  report  to  him  for  ac- 
tive service  in  that  quarter. 

Pressing  his  cap  more  firmly  upon  his  head  our  hero  lay  low  over 
his  horse  and  dug  the  spurs  into  his  foaming  sides,  bounding  away 
along  the  surging  line  of  battle,  and  running  the  gantlet  of  hun- 
dreds of  blazing  muskets. 

When  the  rebels,  with  unfaltering  courage  faced  the  scorching, 
devastating  breath  of  the  batteries,  General  Rosecrans  ordered  a 
bayonet  charge  to  be  made  upon  them. 

"Give  them  the  bayonet!"  he  cried.  "Troops  will  stand  iron 
3 


66  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS. 

and  lead,  but  never  the  bayonet.  Drive  them  !  they  must  be  pushed 
back  to  Murfreesboro' !" 

The  charge  was  made,  and  proved  a  complete  success,  thus  end- 
ing the  first  day's  terrible  fighting. 

The  rebels  fell  back  to  the  shelter  of    the    cedar    woods  to  gather 
strength  for  a  renewal  of  hostilities  on  the  morrow. 

The  second  day's  battle  consisted  in  heavy  skirmishing,  both 
parties  preparing  for  the  inevitable  clash  yet  to  come. 

The  rebels  succeeded  in  carrying  every  point  but  the  Federal 
left,  which  proved  decidedly  too  strong  for  them. 

As  the  shades  of  night  fell  softly  over  cypress  and  cedar,  the  sec- 
ond day's  hostilities  came  to  an  end  ;  the  field  of  carnage  being 
sprinkled  as  liberally  with  the  dead  as  with  dewdrops. 

At  three  o'clock  on  the  third  day  the  rebels  attacked  the  Feder- 
als fiercely. 

Negley's  reserves  were  ordered  up,  and  these  drove  back  the 
rebel  center. 

A  general  charge  of  the  boys  in  blue  was  now  ordered,  and  the 
enemy,  panic-stricken,  fled. 

On  the  fifth  of  January  Rosecrans  had  his  headquarters  in  Mur- 
freesboro'. 

General  Sheridan,  in  consideration  of  his  brilliant  services  in  the 
great  battle,  was  made  a  major-general. 

Rosecrans  received  the  thanks  of  the  nation  through  a  personal 
dispatch  from  President  Lincoln. 

Nothing  but  his  indomitable  will  and  cool  perseverance  in  the 
face  of  the  greatest  peril  saved  the  day  to  the  Union  cause. 

Even  the  rebels  recognized  in  him  an  able  commander,  and  one 
historian  cites  the  observation  of  a  Confederate,  who  stated  that 
had  Rosecrans  commanded  their  army  and  Bragg  the  Federals,  the 
rebels  would  have  walked  triumphantly  into  Nashville. 

As  it  was,  Stone  River  came  very  near  being  a  drawn  battle;  but, 
thanks  to  the  Napoleon-like  tactics  and  dogged  grit  of  "Old  Rosy," 
the  tide  turned  in  favor  of  tne  gallant  boys  in  blue. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

BATTLE  OF  CEDAR  CREST. 

About  the  middle  of  April,  1863,  the  —  Indiana  cavalry  was  sent 
down  near  the  boundary  line  of  Mississippi,  and,  in  conjunction 
with  two  other  regiments,  accorded  the  dangerous  occupation  of 
driving  the  fierce  guerrillas,  who  had  there  assembled  and  who  were 
working  with  dogged  determination  to  seize  Grant's  supplies  and 
break  up  railroad  connection  with  his  headquarters  at  Holly 
Springs,  while  he  advanced  upon  Vicksburg. 

When  they  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  the  enemy's  position,  they 
found  the  latter 's  force  augmented  by  a  heavy  accession  of  rebel 
infantry  and  four  pieces  of  artillery. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  W 

This  state  of  affairs  General  McClernand  recognized  when  hear- 
rtSii  Bcene,  and  accepted  the  three  regimen  s  of  cavalry 
^T^o^monto^toroe^e^ea  from  the  Army  of 

thlfTter  peXting  his  plans,  he  immediately  moved  forward l  upon 
thtrebefs  and  guerrillas,  determined  to  drive  them  out  forthwith 
The  very  impulsiveness  of  his  attack  bore  much  weight  n  itsel 
The  rebels  held  a  strong  position  upon  the  summit  of  a  knoll 
of  a  cedar  crest  at  the  top  which  rose  almost  abruptly  from  an 
^evaSrplatea'u,  with  gently  sloping  sides,  up   winch  the  ascent 

7££5K^~  gantry  were  ordered  to  assault  this 
position  and  carry  it  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet 

Stripping  off  their  knapsacks  and  casting  aside  their  Diodes, 
the  soldier°s  slung  their  cartridge  boxes  over  then ;*o^«*ana 
forming  a  skirmish  line,  dashed  up  the  slope,  with  a  wild  oheer. 

The  sight  as  the  gallant  veterans  sprang  impetuously  forward  to 
the  fray:  ttir  gray  undershirts  and  gleaming  bayonets  in  the  sun- 
litrht  was  a  magnificent  one  to  behold. 

Fom  Pieces  of  artillery  stationed  upon  the  crest  of  the  knoll, 
opened  upon  the  gallant  Federals  a  terrific  cannonade;  sending 
:hPort1us"Pshell,  and  grape  and  canister  hissing  and  screaming 
among  them,  tearing  wide  gaps  in  the  ranks  and  piling  the  dead 
and  mangled  heroes  in  sickening  profusion.  _ 

They  reached  the  plateau  at  the  head  of  the  slope,  but  there 
seemed  to  stumble  and  falter.  ^in;nitv 

A  member  of  the  signal  corps  stationed  in  a  tree  in  the  vicmity 
where  he  had  a  good  view  of  the  action,  signaled  that  having  lost 
their  comuiand"-  in  the  charge,  the  Illinois  regiments  faltered  and 
would  doubtless  fail  to  carry  the  position,  in  which  event  a  most 
favorable  advantage  would  be  irrevocably  lost  to  the  Federals. 

General  McClernand  upon  receipt  of  the  intelligence  seemed  ill 
at  ease  and  instantly  looked  about  him  in  a  decisive  manner  for  a 
man  to  send  to  lead  them  through  their  perplexing  *»»***' 

His  eyes  happening  to  fall  upon  Colonel  Faulkner  who  sat  upon 
his  horse  in  comparative  quiet  at  some  little  distance,  engaged  m 
viewing  the  charging  party  through  a  field-glass  the  general  de- 
spatched one  of  his  aides  to  summon  him  to  his  side. 

Quickly  comprehending  the  import  of  the  summons,  Frank 
wheeled  his  horse  and  galloped  up  to  General  McClernand,  raising 
his  cap  and  saluting  as  he  approached. 

"Here  was  just  the  man  for  the  emergency,"  thought  the  gen- 
eral ;  "  dashing,  chivalrous,  experienced,  and  withal  cool,  cautious 
and  well  able  to  handle  troops  under  fire." 

In  as  few  words  as  possible  he  acquainted  Frank  with  his  wish, 
to  which  our  hero  quickly  acquiesced. 

Dashing  across  the  intervening  space,  he  left  his  horse  in  charge 
of  an  orderly  near  the  tree  occupied  by  the  signal  corps  man,   and 


68  UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS. 

hastening  up  the  slope,  took  his  position  at  the  head  of  the  waver- 
ing columns. 

The  noble  troops  recognized  him  as  one  of  Rosecrans'  staff  of- 
ficers and  hailed  his  arrival  with  glad  shouts  and  ringing  cheers. 

"  Now,  boys,  we  must  carry  the  enemy's  position  in  the  quickest 
possible  time;  so,  forward!"  he  cried,  waving  his  sword  which 
flashed  like  silver  through  the  battle  smoke. 

Crash,  crash,  crash,  crash!  thundered  the  four  brass  pieces, 
shriveling  the  moving  mass  of  humanity  under  their  scorching 
flame. 

Volleys  of  musketry  accompanied  the  cannon's  fierce  blast,  that 
decimated  the  ranks  of  the  brave  assaulting  party,  until  it  seemed 
as  though  they  must  inevitably  be  completely  extirpated.  Still 
they  swept  on,  every  eye  fixed  upon  the  commanding  figure  of 
their  brave  leader,  Frank  Faulkner,  who  was  fully  ten  feet  in  ad- 
vance and  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed  life. 

The  stars  and  bars  floated  directly  in  front  of  him  and  Frank  de- 
termined to  carry  that  banner  back  to  McClernand  as  a  trophy 
and  assurance  of  victory. 

The  troops  rushed  up  the  abrupt  slope,  grappled  with  the  ene- 
my hand  to  hand  upon  the  summit,  where  they  fought  like  tigers 
with  clubbed  muskets,  bayonets,  gun-rammers,  pistols  and  knives. 
It  was  an  exciting  melee;  an  indiscriminate,  heterogeneous  mass 
of  furious  humanity,  all  bent  upon  victory  for  their  particular 
side. 

The  skirmish  was,  however,  as  brief  as  it  was  excitiug  and  the 
rebels  after  a  vain  effort  to  hold  their  position,  broke  and  fled  in 
confusion,  leaving  the  four  guns  and  many  valuable  stores  aud 
munitions  of  war  in  the  hands  of  the  Federals. 

Frank  secured  the  shattered,  battle-scarred  stars  and  bars  which 
had  waved  over  the  breastworks,  aud  on  his  return  to  headquart- 
ers presented  it  triumphantly  to  General  McClernand. 

"You  deserve  to  be  knighted,"  observed  the  general,  who  had 
witnessed,  with  great  satisfaction,  the  gallant  charge  which  Frank 
had  so  ably  led. 

Our  hero  bowed  gracefully  in  recognition  of  the  general's  compli- 
ment, and  without  waiting  to  hear  further  flattering  remarks, 
hastened  to  his  quarters  where  he  was  enthusiastically  received  by 
the  members  of  his  command. 

The  next  morning  fighting  was  resumed,  and  for  nearly  a  week 
sanguinary  skirmishing  took  place  from  day  to  day. 

Finally  the  Federals  captured  a  line  of  rifle-pits,  which  had 
hitherto  been  stoutly  defended  by  the  rebels  and  guerrillas,  aud 
formed  a  new  position  under  a  heavy  mass  of  timbered  land,  be- 
hind which  the  enemy  had  secured  temporary  shelter. 

With  consummate  coolness,  McClernand  spread  his  lines  about 
the  base  of  the  eminence  aud  working  stealthily,  managed,  under 
cover  of  the  darkness  to  completely  environ  the  rebels, 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  »y 

Great  was  their  consternation  in  the  morning  when  they  realized 
that  they  were  completely  surrounded  by  the  hated  but  persistent 

"Y"  £L  II  k  6  G  S 

Meanwhile  the  Federals  pushed  forward  sections  of  two  batteries, 
and  placed  them  in  such  position  as  to  sweep  the  Confederates- 
covert. 

Then  the  music  commenced! 

The  air  fairly  quivered  under  the  detonating  explosions  of  the 

guns,  which : 

"Like  the  lurid  lightning's  flash, 
And  deafening  thunder's  crash." 

seemed  to  rend  and  scorch  everything  within  range  of  their  death 
dealing  muzzles. 

The  rebels,  however,  were  well  used  to  scorchings,  and  paying 
little  heed  to  the  casualties  in  their  ranks,  they  set  to  work 
strengthening  their  position. 

Soon  their  sharpshooters  began  to  take  advantage  of  a  tempor- 
ary lull  in  the  cannonade  to  secure  favorable  places  in  trees  and 
among  the  rocks  and  bowlders,  and  so  destructive  was  their  fire 
that  numerous  efficient  officers  fell  beneath  their  unerring  aim. 

During  the  second  afternoon,  Frank  Faulkner  strolled  leisurely 
among  the  rifle-pits,  speaking  pleasantly  to  the  men,  when  sud- 
denly a  mere  youth  sprang  up  before  him,  and  clutching  wildly  at 
the  air  fell  back  quivering  in  death's  throes. 

Poor  fellow  !  he  had  seen  a  rebel  sharpshooter  take  a  deliberate 
aim  at  our  hero,  and  in  his  devotion  for  Frank,  had  coolly  sacri- 
ficed his  own  life  to  save  that  of  his  esteemed  officer. 

The  awe-stricken  soldiers  grouped  about  Frank,  quickly  cov- 
ered the  sharpshooter,  of  whom  they  gotag'impse  as  he  dodged 
behind  the  limb  of  a  tree,  and  sent  half  a  score  oi  minie-balls  whiz- 
zing about  his  leering  countenance,  some  of  which  must  have 
taken  deadly  effect,  for  they  froze  the  exultant  laugh  upon  his 
lips,  and  sent  him  crashing  to  the  ground. 

"  Look  out  there,  colonel,  that  cuss  over  there  in  the  thick  weeds 
has  drawn  a  bead  on  you!"  cried  a  soldier  close  beside  Frank. 
Our  hero  dodged  down  involuntarily. 

Whish  went  a  conical  bullet,  so  close  to  his  head  as  to  actually 
tear  one  of  the  brass  buttons  off  his  cap. 

However,  he  was  not  destined  to  become  a  victim  of  the  sharp- 
shooters ;  but  the  next  day,  unfortunately,  he  sustained  a  very 
painful  fracture  of  the  right  arm,  by  a  fragment  of  exploding  shell 
which  struck  that  member. 

In  the  confusion  incident  to  the  position,  the  surgeon,  Dr.  Clancy, 
happened  to  set  the  arm  wrong,  and  a  week  after  the  injury  was 
received,  while  removing  the  splints  to  note  progress  of  recovery, 
made  the  astounding  discovery  that  it  was  set  so  that  when  the 
bones  completely  knitted  together  that  the  hand  would  be  partly 
reversed  from  its  natural  position. 


70  UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BABS. 

Dr.  Clancy  felt  exceedingly  grieved,  and  with  much  apparent 
sorrow  communicated  the  fact  to  Frank. 

Our  hero  looked  up  in  his  face,  a  look  of  mingled  softness  and 
sad  reproach,  as  he  asked  : 

"  What  is  to  be  done,  doctor  ?" 

"  I  know  of  no  other  way,  colonel,  to  remedy  the  misfortune 
than  to " 

He  hesitated,  as  if  afraid,  or  regretting  to  speak. 

"Well?" 

"  To  break  the  arm  again,  and  set  it  over." 

A  spasm  of  pain  flitted  across  Frank's  quiet  features ;  but  with 
compressed  lips,  he  observed  : 

"  Then  let  it  be  done  at  once.    Send  for  Sergeant  Conroy." 

The  man  whose  presence  was  desired,  shortly  appeared  upon  the 
scene. 

He  was  short,  quite  dark,  but  possessed  of  wonderful  strength 
of  limb. 

"Now,  sergeant,"  observed  Frank,  "  you  see  this  arm  ?" 

Conroy  nodded,  intelligently,  observing : 

"How  about  that  ?" 

"Well,  it  has  been  set  wrong,  and  must  be  broken  and  re-set. 
Now,  my  man,  I  want  you  to  tie  me  up  to  a  tree,  catch  hold,  and 
when  I  give  the  word,  break  this  limb  again." 

The  sergeant  seemed  a  little  surprised,  but  if  Frank  bad  ordered 
him  to  break  his  neck  instead  of  his  arm  he  would  not  have  hesi- 
tated to  comply,  so  strong  was  his  devotion  and  confidence  in  his 
superior  officer. 

Conroy  procured  a  rope,  bound  Frank  securely  to  a  pine  as 
directed  and  then  seized  hold  of  the  limb. 

"Mind  now,  my  man,  no  blundering,  break  it  with  one  quick 
snap." 

Frank  shut  his  eyes;  the  shock  came  and  the  fracture  when 
viewed  by  Dr.  Clancy  was  declared  to  far  exceed  the  former  one. 

It  is  needless  to  say  the  good  surgeon  was  more  particular  to  set 
the  broken  limb  properly  on  this  occasion,  and  Frank  experienced 
no  further  difficulty  with  it;  but  under  his  skillful  treatment  rap- 
idly recovered  from  his  painful  injury. 

When  the  sergeant  told  the  story  about  the  camp,  tbe  veneration 
for  Colonel  Faulkner  was  sensibly  increased,  and  the  result  was 
that  when  he  had  fully  recovered  he  was  the  happy  recipient  of  an 
elegant  gold-hilted  sword  elegantly  carved  and  suitably  engraved, 
the  gift  of  lib  many  admiring  friends. 


CHAPTER  XVII, 

GBAND   GULP. 

A  short  time  after  Frank  Faulkner  had  recovered  from  his  pain- 
ful injuries,  the  troops  were  ordered  to  proceed  toward  Vicksburg, 
where  Grant's  army  was  being  concentrated. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  71 

Their  line  of  march  lay  through  vast  wild  tracts  covered  with 
scrawny  oaks  and  underbrush  and  framed  by  hills  crested  with 
cedars  and  pines.  Then  came  tangled  forests  of  mixed  growths 
and  anon,  dense  cedar  swamps,  almost  impassible  to  the  troops. 

The  soldiers  bivouacked  for  the  night  in  a  wild  spot.  Shortly 
after  discussing  his  evening  meal,  our  hero  was  approached  by  an 
orderly,  who  observed  that  his  presence  was  requested  by  a  stran- 
ger at  the  entrance  to  the  glade. 

Wondering  who  could  wish  to  see  him  in  this  secluded  spot, 
where  he  was  entirely  unacquainted,  he  hastened  to  the  place 
mentioned  and  there  beheld  a  dark-complexioned,  sharp-featured 
man,  quietly  standing  beside  an  elegantly  caparisoned  horse. 

The  steed  was  evidently  a  splendid  one,  black  as  coal,  and  full  of 
animation,  for  he  pawed  the  ground  as  if  impatient  to  be  bounding 
away  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 

As  Frank  approached,  the  man  removed  his  dilapidated  hat  and 
bowing  politely,  observed,  inquiringly  : 
"  Colonel  Faulkner,  I  presume?" 
"Yes,"  acquiesced  our  hero. 

"Well,  sir.  I  was  commissioned  by  a  friend  of  yours  to  deliver 
this  noble  animal  to  you.  It  has  been  forwarded  in  his  care  by 
some  ladies  residing  in  Kentucky." 

Frank  instantly  thought  of  the  Stanflelds  and  a  flush  of  pleasure 
glowed  upon  his  cheeks,  as  he  replied  : 

"Sir,  it  affords  me  the  greatest  satisfaction  to  accept  this  superb 
gift,  and  if  you  will  kindly  convey  my  most  earnest  thanks  to  the 
gentleman  in  behalf  of  the  fair  donors,  you  will  confer  a  lasting 
favor  which  I  shall  appreciate  exceedingly." 

Sergeant  Conroy  who  was  quite  a  judge  of  horseflesh,  happening 
to  be  in  the  vicinity,  Frank  hailed  him  and  bade  him  mouut  the 
animal  and  see  how  he  liked  his  new  acquisition. 

A  scowl  shadowed  the  face  of  the  man  who  had  presented  the 
horse,  as  he  muttered : 

"  Better  mount  him  yourself;  you  will  be  the  best  judge  of  his 
1  merits." 

"  No  ;  I  prefer  that  the  sergeant  shall  express  his  views  regard- 
ing the  horse." 

As  he  spoke  Conroy  bounded  into  the  saddle  and  grasped  the 
bridle  in  a  firm  grip. 

Instantly  two  simultaneous  sparks  of  flame  leaped  from  the  hols- 
ters, followed  by  the  loud  bang  of  heavy  horse  pistols. 

The  poor  sergeaut  threw  up  his  arms,  uttered  a  hoarse  cry  of 
agony,  shivered  convulsively,  drew  up  his  limbs  and  rolled  off  the 
horse— dead. 

Frank  had  just  time  to  grasp  the  bridle  of  the  horse  and  restrain 
him  from  plunging  away  in  a  mad  gallop  as  a  result  of  the  flight. 
While  he  was  thus  occupied  the  mysterious  stranger  disappeared, 
making  good  his  escape. 


72  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

Frank  began  to  realize  what  a  narrow  escape  he  had  had,  and  it 
suddenly  flashed  across  his  mind  that  he  was  doubtless  the  intend- 
ed victim  of  some  nefarious  plot. 

He  regretted  exceedingly  the  tragic  fate  of  his  faithful  friend, 
still  could  not  help  feeling  thankful  for  his  own  fortunate  pres- 
ervation from  instant  death. 

While  he  was  thus  musing  it  occurred  to  him  to  examine  the 
saddle  closely,  and  endeavor,  if  possible,  to  discover  some  clew  to 
the  identity  of  the  person  or  persons  who  had  sent  him  the  horse. 

He  found  in  each  holster  a  pistol  of  large  calaber,  to  the  trigger 
of  which  small  wires  were  attached,  which  in  turn  were  ingene- 
ously  fastened  to  the  bridle  reins. 

While  examining  the  weapons  critically,  he  found  engraved 
upon  the  hilt  of  each: 

"  Presented  to  Arthur  Arnold  by  Renwood  Reinhart !" 

Instantly  an  inkling  of  the  truth  flooded  across  his  intellect. 

Arnold,  acting  as  the  agent  of  Reinhart,  was  endeavoring  to  re- 
move him  from  the  path  of  the  latter  worthy. 

But  what  could  the  object  be? 

He  reflected  for  some  time  upon  this  absorbing  question,  and 
finally  was  quite  bewildered  at  the  alarming  propensities  of  his 
thoughts. 

"  Of  course;  how  dumb  I  must  have  been  not  to  have  seen  it  all 
before.  Was  it  not  Arnold  who,  when  Edith  jilted  in e,  first  in- 
duced me  to  enlist  by  securing  me  the  captaincy,  which  Reinhart 
had  decided  to  relinquish? 

"  Then  is  it  not  easy  enough  to  see  that  Reinhart  stayed  at  home 
for  the  express  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  win  the  girl,  while  I, 
like  a  fool,  left  her  and  came  to  the  war  in  a  fit  of  jealous  pas- 
sion ?" 

Thus  reasoning  and  reviewing  his  thrilling  encounter  with  Ar- 
nold in  the  mountains  when  that  scoundrel  deliberately  sought  to 
murder  him  as  already  related,  our  hero  was  nearly  beside  himself 
with  rage  at  his  own  folly. 

"Never  mind,"  he  at  length  groaned,  "she  jilted  me  anyhow; 
but  why  these  fellows  should  try  to  take  my  life,  is  more  than  I 
can  understand." 

In  a  much  disturbed  state  of  mind  Frank  led  the  horse  into 
camp,  and  dispatched  a  couple  of  men  with  a  stretcher  to  bring  in 
the  remains  of  the  unfortunate  sergeant. 

The  troops  were  awakened  at  midnight  and  ordered  to  resume 
their  march. 

At  two  o'clock  the  next  morning,  while  they  were  marching 
through  a  wild  country  over-grown  with  luxuriant  foliage  and 
flowers,  from  which  a  rare  fragrance  emanated,  having  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  thirtieth  of  April,  under  McClernaud,  landed  at 
Bruinsburg,  encountered  a  rebel  battery,  and  were  brought  to  an 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  73 

abrupt  halt,  found  that  the    battery  was  strongly  posted  on  the 
brink  of  a  commanding  eminence  before  them. 

They  afterwards  learned  that  the  rebel  General  Bower  had 
sallied  forth  from  his  entrenchments  at  Grand  Gulf  and  had 
planted  his  batteries  on  these  heights. 

One  Federal  battery  was  ordered  to  the  left,  which  was  com- 
manded by  General  Osterhaus,  and,  as  soon  as  morning  broke, 
opened  a  brisk  fire  upon  the  enemy. 

The  battle  was  a  hotly  contested  one,  and  lasted  most  of  the  day. 

The  Federals  lost  over  eight  hundred  men  killed,  wounded  and 
missing,  among  whom  were  eighteen  from  the  battery,  including 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Fielding,  who  was  killed  by  a  shell. 

During  the  night  the  rebels  retreated,  leaving  the  two  roads  to 
PortGiDson  open,  and  flying  across  the  Big  Black  river,  abandon- 
ing Grand  Gulf,  their  depot  for  stores  and  ammunition,  which  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Federals,  and  afterwards  became  a  very  im- 
portant base  for  General  Grant's  supplies.  They  destroyed  their 
ammunition  and  spiked  their  guns,  however,  before  leaving. 

On  the  twelfth  of  May,  under  General  Logan,  the  Federals  en- 
countered the  rebels  near  the  town  of  Raymond,  strongly  posted  in 
the  woods,  and  drove  them  with  difficulty  to  the  shelter  of  their 
riflApits. 

After  a  hard  and  impetuous  struggle,  in  which  Colonel  Faulkner 
as  usual  distinguished  himself,  they  drove  them  again,  and  hurled 
them  back  completely  routed. 

Raymoud  then  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Federals. 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  fourteenth  Colonel  Faulkner's 
cavalry  was  with  General  Crocker,  and  precipitated  in  a  brilliant 
cavalry  combat  with  the  enemy  quite  near  Jackson,  the  state 
capital. 

As  before,  the  rebel  batteries  frowned  from  the  top  of  a  hill,  and 
the  Union  commanders  were  obliged  to  send  infantry  forward  to 
storm  them,  which,  under  Crocker's  personal  supervision,  they  did 
in  magnificent  style,  dispersing  the  foe,  though  with  dreadful 
slaughter,  and  capturing  Jackson. 

On  the  sixteenth  they  met  General  Pemberton,  who  had  pushed 
out  from  Vicksburg  with  the  intention  of  attacking  Grant  in  the 
rear,  and  fought  his  forces  at  Champion  Hills,  which  was  the  most 
decisive  of  Grant's  battles  in  his  advance  on  Vicksburg,  and  really 
decided  the  campaign,  as  it  effectually  squelched  all  hope  of 
Johnston  effecting  a  junction  with  Pemberton. 

At  Big  Black  river  shortly  after,  while  with  McClernand  in  pur- 
suit of  the  retreating  rebels,  Colonel  Frank's  cavalry  came  upon 
them  suddenly,  and  as  the  ground  was  favorable,  the  rebels  made 
a  stand,  determined  to  dispute  their  passage. 

They  posted  eighteen  guns  on  the  brink  of  an  eminence  opposite 
a  bayou  twenty  feet  wide  and  three  or  four  feet  deep,  over  which 


74  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

the  Federal  infantry  and  cavalry  would  be  obliged  to  pass  m 
attacking  them. 

Then,  in  addition,  on  a  bluff  which  fringed  the  other  side,  just 
beyond  the  first  battery,  they  perceived  an  array  of  guns  and  am- 
bushed Confederates  nicely  ensconced. 

To  assault  their  position  it  would  be  necessary  to  debouch  out 
upon  an  open  plain  and  cross  both  the  bayou  and  the  river  in  the 
face  of  the  rebel  batteries. 

General  McClernaud  viewed  the  po&ition  and  immediately  or- 
dered an  artillery  attack  upon  the  enemy's  works. 

The  commanders  took  a  fair  position,  uulimbered  their  guns,  and 
were  soon  hurling  shell  and  cannister  among  the  rebels. 

The}7-  replied  with  vigor,  wounding  and  disabling  General  Oster- 
haus  in  the  opening  of  the  f  usilade. 

While  the  artillery  kept  up  a  rattling  fire  in  the  center,  thus  com- 
manding the  attention  of  the  enemy,  General  Lawler,  contrived  to 
approach  the  rebel  works  on  the  right  quite  unobserved. 

Reaching  a  favorable  position,  his  troops  divested  themselves  of 
their  knapsacks  and  blankets,  fixed  bayonets,  and  emerging  from 
their  concealment,  traversed  the  open  field  and  plunged  into  the 
stagnant  water  of  the  bayou. 

A  terrific  fire  of  shot  and  shell  was  instantly  turned  upon  them, 
reddening  the  brackish  water  with  their  blood. 

The  very  rashness  and  impetuosity  of  the  assault,  however,  be- 
ing so  sudden  and  unlooked  for  by  the  rebels,  their  fire  was  not  de- 
livered with  as  effective  an  aim  as  usual. 

Accordingly  the  bayou  was  successfully  crossed,  and  the  works 
taken  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  without  much  further  resist- 
ance. 

As  the  rebels  were  now  driven  from  the  Big  Black  river,  General 
McClernand  bridged  the  stream  and  his  victorious  forces  pushed 
forward  toward  Vicksburg,  swinging  around  to  the  south  as  they 
approached  that  city. 

On  May  19  the  doomed  city  was  completely  besieged,  Grant's  lines 
extending  from  the  Yazoo  above  to  Warren  town  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, below  Vicksburg. 

The  rebel  army  was  then  hemmed  in  on  all  sides  without  the 
possibility  of  escape. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  VICKSBURG  CAMPAIGN. 

When,  on  the  fourth  of  November,  1862,  General  Grant,  after 
having  completed  all  necessary  arrangements,  began  his  move- 
ment upon  Vicksburg,  by  an  advance  into  Mississippi  with  a  force 
of  thirty  thousand  men,  it  was  with  the  determination  of  reducing 
the  Gibraltar  of  the  West  as  speedily  as  possible. 

All  his  energies  were  therefore  concentrated  upon  the  capture  of 


UNDER   THE   STARS  AND   BARS.  7t) 

the  rebel  stronghold— the  key    to    navigation    of   the   Mississippi 
river. 

To  impress  more  adequately  its  value,  we  might  here  quote  Sher- 
man's words  : 
"The  possession  of  the  Mississippi  is  the  possession  of  America." 
While  Grant  steadily  pushed  the  obstinate  enemy  south,  other 
co-operating  movements  were  iu    progress    against  Vicksburg  by 
his  lieutenants. 
In  Sherman's  sententous  words: 

"Grant  moved  direetly  on  Pembertou,  while  I  moved  from 
Memphis,  and  a  smaller  force,  under  Washburne,  struck  directly 
for  Granada;  and  the  first  thing  Pemberton  knew  the  depot  of  his 
supplies  was  almost  in  the  grasp  of  a  small  cavalry  force,  and  he 
fell  back  in  confusion  and  gave  us  Tallahatchie  without  a  battle." 
On  November  29  General  Grant's  headquarters  were  at  Holly 
Springs,  Mississippi,  and  only  six  days'  subsequent  he  en  tered  Ox- 
ford with  his  cavalry  at  Coffeeville,  about  eighteen  miles  from 
Granada. 

Thus  far  the  whole  movement  into  Mississippi  had  been  effected 
with  little  or  no  opposition,  and  without  any  serious  fighting. 

Grant  was  elated ;  but  alas !  a  cloud  was  gathering,  of  which  he 
had  little  expectation,  and  was  soon  destined  to  break  over  his 
head  with  crushing  violence. 

Through  the  cowardice  and  incapacity  of  Colonel  Murphy,  who 
had  been  left  in  command  at  Holly  Springs  and  in  charge  of  the 
vast  quantities  of  supplies  there  concentrated.  This  important 
depot  was  cravenly  surrendered  to  the  rebels  under  Van  Doru, 
without  striking  a  blow  iu  its  defense. 

This  appaliug  misfortune  completely  deranged  Grant's  admir- 
ably conceived  plans  for  carrying  Vicksburg,  and  necessitated  a 
speedy  withdrawal  and  abandonment  of  all  the  favorable  points 
gained. 

To  a  less  determined  man  than  Grant,  this  calamity  would  have 
been  a  crushing  blow. 

Murphy,  who  had  on  a  previous  occasion  given  up  luka  to  Price, 
was  ignomiuiously  dismissed  the  service. 

The  rebels  destroyed  fully  a  million  dollars  worth  of  valuable 
military  property,  quartermaster's  stores,  ordnances,  etc. 

Had  Grant  at  the  time  been  aware  of  the  fact,  which  he  after- 
ward learned,  that  his  army  could  be  subsisted  upon  supplies 
drawn  exclusively  from  the  country  through  which  they  passed, 
he  could  without  difficulty  have  pushed  on  to  the  rear  of  Vicks- 
burg, and,  probably,  have  succeeded  iu  capturing  the  place  ere  it 
was  fully  invested  with  Pembertou's  obstinate  forces. 

Not  being  cognizant  of  this,  however,  he  fell  back  to  Holly 
Springs,  there  to  await  the  arrival  of  fresh  supplies. 

Meanwhile,  Sherman  had  moved  down  to  Milliken's  Bend,  and 
hearing  nothing  from  Grant,  with  whom   he  was  unable  to  com- 


76  tTKDER  THE  STARS  AND   JARS 

municate,  made  an  unsuccessful  assault  upon  the  rebels  at  Chick- 
asaw bayou ;  but,  after  a  three  days  spirited  struggle,  was  obliged 
to  abandon  his  attack  against  Vicksburg. 

Grant  gradually  fell  back  with  his  army,  and  finally  removed 
his  headquarters  to  Young's  Point,  a  few  miles  above  the  city  of 
Vicksburg,  which,  situated  in  a  curve  of  the  river,  was  considered 
impregnable,  so  lofty  were  its  bluffs  and  so  formidable  its  bat- 
teries. 

Not  only  was  the  city  surrounded  by  earthworks,  but  Haines, 
Chickasaw  and  Walnut  Bluffs  to  the  north  and  northwest,  and 
Warrenton,  commanding  the  lower  approaches  to  it.  were  also 
strongly  fortified. 

Grant,  after  several  adverse  efforts  at  Deer  creek,  Duck  creek, 
Steel's  bayou  and  several  other  points  too  numerous  to  mention, 
finally  resolved  to  march  across  the  country  on  the  Louisiana  side 
to  a  favorable  point  below  Vicksburg,  and  attack  the  great  rebel 
stronghold  in  the  rear. 

Accordingly,  after  mature  deliberation  and  a  prolonged  confer- 
ence with  the  admirals,  Farragut  and  Porter,  it  was  determined  to 
send  a  number  of  the  gunboats  and  transports,  laden  with  supplies 
and  forage,  past  the  frowning  water  batteries  in  two  sections  on 
separate  nights. 

Among  others  who  participated  in  this  daring  and  hazardous 
exploit  were  several  newspaper  correspondents,  one  of  whom  de- 
scribes his  feelings  in  the  following  glowing  picture: 

"  It  was  ten  o'clock  on  a  beautiful  moonlight  night,  even  for 
these  latitudes,  when  we  cast  loose  at  Milliken's  Bend  and  our  lit- 
tle tug  snorted  down  the  river,  accompanied  by  the  transport— A. 
D.  Hine. 

"  Our  adieus  said,  we  quietly  chatted  and  finished  a  solitary  bot- 
tle of  dry  catawba  which  some  good  friends  had  sent  on  board  for 
our  comfort. 

"  We  had  on  board,  as  a  guard,  fifteen  expert  sharpshooters  from 
the  Forty-seventh  Ohio,  under  Captain  Ward,  Surgeon  Davidson, 
the  tug's  crew  of  eight,  four  soldiers  on  tbeir  way  to  join  their  re- 
giments and  our  party  of  three— all  volunteers. 

"  I  should  here  mention,  as  illustrating  the  temper  of  that  army, 
that  when  fourteen  volunteers  were  called  for,  the  whole  regi- 
ment stepped  forward. 

"  Company  A  was  selected,  and  still  there  was  a  squabble  to  go. 
Fourteen  were  then  marked  off;  a  fifteenth  begged  permission  of 
the  colonel,  and  one  actually  paid  a  premium  of  five  dollars  to  his 
comrade  for  the  privilege  of  going  on  this  hazardous  service. 

"  The  barges  were  covered  with  tiers  of  hay  in  order  to  protect 
the  tug,  but  the  hay  was  deemed  almost  unnecessary,  and  so  put 
on  quite  loosely  and  the  ends  of  the  boat  were  quite  exposed. 

"  At  midnight  we  came  in  sight  of  Vicksburg. 

"  About  half  past  twelve,  as  we  were  steaming  across  the  upper 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS.  77 

side  of  the  point,  the  rebel  pickets  on  the  Louisiana  shore  began 
to  fire  upon  us;  their  shots,  however,  doing  no  damage. 

14  At  a  quarter  before  one,  a  rocket  shot  up  from  the  upper  bat- 
teries. 

44  There  was  no  need  of  such  a  warning,  for  the  boats  might  be 
seen  almost  as  clearly  as  by  sunlight,  and  the  loud  puff  of  our  ex- 
haust pipe  gave  ample  warning  when  we  were  three  miles  dis- 
tant. 

"  At  five  minutes  past  one  the  first  shot  was  fired,  and  struck  so 
near  as  to  leave  us  in  doubt  whether  the  barge  were  hit. 

"  A  lull  of  a  few  minutes,  and  then  another,  closely  followed  by 
a  round. 

"  It  kept  up  this  way  as  we  were  rounding  the  bend,  the  shots 
all  seeming  to  come  very  near  to  us,  but  few  striking,  as  we  could 
perceive  by  the  momentary  throb  of  the  hull  when  struck. 

"With  the  exception  of  Captain  Ward,  the  pilots,  engineers  and 
firemen,  the  rest  of  us  were  posted  along  the  barges  on  the  alert 
for  an  attempt  at  boarding. 

"  By  reference  to  a  map  of  the  locality,  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
river  forms  a  kind  of  loop  in  front  of  Vicksburg;  so  that  we  had 
to  run  a  portion  of  the  distance  by,  and  then  turn  under  fire  and 
run  the  whole  line  back  again. 

44  In  this  way  we  were  exposed  to  a  fire  from  the  starboard  side, 
then  from  the  bow,  and  when  fairly  in  front  of  the  batteries  from 
all  three  directions  to  a  concentrated  fire. 

44  At  first  there  were  efforts  to  peer  from  behind  the  rampart  of 
hay  bales,  and  duck  on  perceiving  the  flash  of  the  rebel  guns;  but 
soon  the  shots  were  so  rapid  and  from  points  so  widely  apart  that 
that  exciting  amusement  was  stopped. 

44  The  spiteful  screaming  of  the  shells  as  they  went  over  us,  the 
splashing  and  spray  as  they  plunged  into  the  river  were  for  a  time 
subjects  of  jesting  and  imitation ;  but  when  suddenly  a  shell  burst 
three  feet  over  our  heads  with  a  stunning  report,  the  jesting 
quickly  ceased. 

44  Twenty  minutes— long  minutes,  those  under  fire— and  nobody 
hurt! 

44 The  barges  still  floating,  and  the  little  propellor  making  eight 
miles  an  hour. 

44  We  had  already  passed  the  upper  batteries  and  were  congratu- 
lating ourselves  on  our  good  luck,  the  guns  pouring  broadsides  at 
us  with  amazing  noise,  as  we  were  but  four  hundred  yards  from 
the  guns  and  it  seemed  in  the  clear  air  as  if  we  were  right  in  front 
of  their  muzzles, 

44  Several  shots  struck  the  barges  very  heavily,  still  there  was  no 
stoppage. 

44  It  must  have  been  about  a  quarter  before  two  when  all  the 
roar  of  the  guns  was  drowned  by  one  terrific  report,  as  if  a  maga- 
zine had  burst  under  us. 


?8  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

"  My  first  thought  was  that  the  powder  had  been  stowed  ou  the 
barges  and  had  ignited  ;  but  on  clamberiug  up  among  smoke  aud 
flame,  indeed  I  could  see  nothing  like  a  tug. 

"  She  had  exploded,  and  white  hot  cinders  were  thrown  up  in  a 
spouting  shower,  while  a  dense  volume  of  steam  and  smoke  envel- 
oped the  barges  like  a  pall. 

"Almost  at  the  same  moment  the  batteries  commenced  a  venge- 
ful, and,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  a  savage  fire  upon  us,  faster  and 
faster. 

"  The  shells  burst  all  around  and  above  us  for  a  few  minutes 
with  a  stunning  and  blinding  effect. 

"The  coals  had  set  fire  to  the  hay  bales  in  several  places ;  the 
bursting  shells  had  aided  the  work. 

"In  vain  did  we  trample  upon  them  and  throw  them  overboard, 
burning  our  hands,  feet  and  clothing  in  the  effort. 

"No  buckets  were  to  be  found.    Tney  had  been  blown  away. 

"  On  looking  down  between  the  barges,  there  hung  the  frag- 
ment of  the  tug  by  the  tow  ropes. 

"  The  little  craft  being  nearly  all  boiler,  had  been  shattered  to 
atoms,  as  we  afterward  learned,  by  a  ten-inch  shell. 

"The  rebels  then  set  up  a  hideous  yell  from  the  bluffs,  as  if  in 
mockery  at  our  crippled  condition. 

"  The  batteries  kept  on  firing,  the  blazing  hay  lighting  up  the 
river. 

"  We  were  then  slowly  drifting  vrith  the  tide  current  past  the 
front  of  the  city. 

"  Our  disaster  happened  right  abreast  of  the  court  house,  when 
we  had  passed  more  than  half  the  batteries,  and  under  fire  of  all 
of  them. 

"As  soon  as  we  could  clearly  see  through  the  blinding  smoke,  we 
found  Mr.  Browne  standing  bare  headed  on  the  topmost  bale  as  if 
he  were  a  defiant  target  for  the  rebel  gunners. 

"  Captain  Ward  had  been  blown  forward  thirty  feet  from  the 
tug  into  the  river,  and  two  of  his  men  were  engaged  in  fishing 
him  out. 

"  The  wounded  and  scalded  men  were  calling  for  help ;  indeed 
they  were  making  the  most  piteous  appeals,  but  were  answered 
only  by  an  occasional  shell  or  malicious  cheer  from  the  rebels. 

"After  a  few  moments  of  hasty  and  rather  informal  consulta-- 
tion,  it  was  deemed  best  to  abandon  the  barges  as  the  flames  were 
crowding  us  very  closely. 

"Bales  of  hay  were  then  tumbled  off  into  the  river,  and  the 
wounded  placed  upon  them. 

"The  heat  now  became  intense! 

"  Mr.  Browne  and  myself  remained  till  all  were  off,  and  then, 
with  but  one  bale  for  the  two,  stripped  for  the  plunge. 

"  Just  as  we  were  ready,  a  solid  shot  whistled  between  us,  and 
plowed  into  the  water  under  Mr.  Richardson's  feet,  overturniug 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  79 

him  from  his  bale,  and  producing  a  fountain  of  spray  where  he 
had  sunk. 

"  Our  eyes  were  gladdened  at  his  return  to  the  surface  unhurt. 

"We  leaped  into  the  muddy  flood  and  buffeted  the  waves  for 
some  minutes,  with  a  sense  of  relief  from  the  insupportable  heat. 
Junius  Browne  followed,  and  together  we  commenced  swimming 
for  the  Louisiana  shore,  supposing  that  our  pickets  occupied  it. 

"We  had  been  in  the  water  for  half  an  hour,  perhaps,  when  the 
sound  of  a  stroke  of  oars  reached  us,  and  presently  a  yawl  pulled 
round  the  barges. 

"Our  first  emotions  were  pleasant  enough,  but  they  were  all  de- 
stroyed when  we  saw  the  gray  clothing  of  the  boatmen. 

"They  scooped  us  in  by  the  time  we  had  drifted  two  miles  below 
the  city,  and  with  some  roughness  impressed  upon  us  the  fact  that 
we  were  prisoners. 

"  Dripping  and  shivering,  we  were  marched  up  to  the  city,  and 
taken  before  the  provost  marshal,  and  registered." 

I  believe  they  were  held  as  prisoners  until  after  the  fall  of  Vicks- 
burg,  but  am  not  positive  that  such  was  their  fate,  though  Mr. 
Browne  was  sent  to  Libby  prison,  as  he  himself  narrates  in  his 
"  Four  Years  in  Secessia."  ^ 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ADVANCING  ON  VICKSBTTRG. 

On  the  last  day  of  April,  1863,  two  corps  of  Grant's  army  crossed 
from  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  in  transports  ten  miles  below 
Grand  Gulf,  and  moved  into  the  very  heart  of  the  enemy's 
country  without  baggage  base  or  line  of  communication,  and 
pushed  forward  vigorously,  fighting  battles  day  after  day. 

On  the  first  of  May  they  encountered  the  rebels  at  Port  Gibson, 
capturing  a  few  hundred  prisoners  and  Ave  guns,  and  then  pushed 
on  toward  Jackson  the  state  capital. 

Grant's  masterly  campaign,  while  apparently  threateningan  im- 
mediate attack  against  the  Gibraltar  of  the  South,  was  really  in- 
tended to  prevent  General  Pemberton  from  forming  a  junction 
with  General  Johnston's  troops,  who  were  then  in  force  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Jackson. 

As  the  army  slowly  advanced  into  the  heart  of  Mississippi,  Jack- 
son in  front,  and  Port  Gibson,  eighteenjor  twenty  miles  behind,  the 
scene  of  tropical  luxuriance  was  exhilaratiug  in  the  extreme. 

The  pale,  delicate  blossom  of  the  magnolia  peeped  out  among  the 
rich  green  foliage,  filling  the  balmy  air  with  its  delicious  fra- 
grance. 

The  road  was  skirted  with  lordly  plantation  grounds  no  longer 
covered  with  cotton,  but  vast  cornfields  laden  with  ripening  stores 
for  the  Confederate  army. 

As  the  troops  marched  through  this  picturesque  country,  they 


80  UNDEB  THE  STABS  AND  BABS. 

frequently  came  upon  residences  of  great  beauty,  with  airy  veran- 
das, and  gardens  embellished  with  aromatic  shrubs,  evergreens  and 
roses ;  but  stragglers  and  guerrillas  had  made  complete  havoc  of 
everything  in  the  shape  of  provisions,  furniture  and  all  portable 
wares  of  value. 

Frequently,  elegant  mirrors,  elaborate  side-boards,  fine  pianos 
and  library  cases  were  wantonly  demolished,  not  only  by  guerrillas 
and  Confederates;  eager  for  plunder,  but,  sad  to  relate,  by  soldiers 
in  Uncle  Sam's  uniform. 

It  seemed,  indeed,  too  bad  that  this  garden  spot  .should  be  fated 
to  echo  the  roar  of  battle,  and  feel  the  terrible,  scorching  devasta- 
tion of  civil  war. 

While  these  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  were  thus  advanc- 
ing, McClernand,  also  advancing,  fought  and  defeated  the  enemy 
at  Big  Black  river,  and  was  now  close  by. 

On  Thursday,  May  7,  General  McPherson  moved  his  corps  to 
Rocky  Springs,  and  his  deserted  camp  was  occupied  the  next  day 
by  General  Sherman. 

Still  advancing,  McPherson,  on  Saturday,  moved  to  the  east- 
ward, to  the  village  of  Utica,  crossing  the  road  occupied  by  Mc- 
Clernand, and  leaving  the  latter  on  his  left. 

Sunday  morning  McClernand  marched  to  Five  Mile  creek,  and 
encamped  on  the  south  bank  at  noon  his  progress  interrupted  by 
broken  bridges,  which  were  repaired  the  next  day. 

On  Monday  morning,  Sherman's  corps  came  up,  passed  McCler- 
nand's,  and  that  night  encamped  at  the  village  of  Auburn,  about 
ten  miles  south  of  Edward's  Station,  on  the  railroad  from  Vicks- 
burg  to  Jackson. 

As  soon  as  Sherman  had  passed,  McClernand's  corps  followed  a 
few  miles,  and  then  took  a  .road  going  obliquely  to  the  left,  and 
leading  to  Hall's  Ferry,  on  the  Big  Black  river. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  on  Monday  evening  General  McClernand 
was  at  Hall's  Ferry ;  General  Sherman,  at  Auburn,  six  or  eight 
miles  to  the  northeast ;  and  General  McPherson  was  about  eight 
miles  still  further  to  the  northeast,  and  a  few  miles  north  of  Utica. 
This  grand  combination  formed  an  immense  line  of  battle ;  Sher- 
man's corps,  being  in  the  Center  with  those  of  McPherson  and  Mc- 
Clernand forming  the  right  and  left  wings. 

It  will  be  observed,  also,  that  an  entire  change  of  front  had  been 
effected. 

From  Grand  Gulf  the  army  marched  eastward,  but  by  these 
movements  swung  on  the  left,  or  on  a  pivot,  and  fronted  nearly 
northward. 

On  Tuesday  morning  General  McClernand's  advance  drove  in 
the  enemy's  pickets  near  Hall's  Ferry,  and  sharp  skirmishing  en- 
sued for  an  hour  or  two  with  little  loss  on  either  side. 

By  noon  he  had  driven  the  rebels  from  his  front  with  a  loss  of 
seven  wounded. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  ANI>  BARS.  81 

Early  on  the  following  morning  General  Sherman  put  Steele's 
division  in  motion,  and  they  came  upon  the  enemy  at  the  crossing 
of  Fourteen  Mile  creek,  four  miles  from  Auburn. 

The  cavalry  advance  was  fired  into  from  the  thick  woods  that 
skirt  the  stream,  and  was  unfortunately  unable,  owing  to  the 
nature  of  the  ground,  to  make  a  charge  or  clear  the  rebels  from 
their  position. 

Landgraber's  battery  was  thrown  to  the  front,  supported  by  the 
Seventeenth  Missouri  and  Thirty-first  Iowa  regiments,  and  threw 
a  few  shells  into  the  bushy  undergrowth  skirting  the  stream  which 
gave  the  rebels  cover.  Skirmishers  were  then  thrown  out  and  ad- 
vancing to  the  creek  they  drove  the  rebels  slowly.  A  brigade  was 
thrown  to  the  right  and  left  flanks,  when  the  rebel  force— mainly 
cavalry— withdrew  toward  Raymond.  During  this  exciting  skir- 
mish the  bridge  was  burned,  but  a  crossing  was  effected  in  two 
hours,  and  before  noon  trains  were  passing. 

The  principal  opposition  to  the  advancing  Federals  was  encount- 
ered by  General  McPherson.  General  Logan's  division  came  upon 
a  body  of  rebel  troops  estimated  at  ten  thousand,  posted  at  Fon- 
drew's  creek  at  ten  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morning.  Heavy  skirmish- 
ing began  at  once  and  a  general  engagement  soon  resulted.  As  in 
front  ^of  General  Sherman's  position,  the  enemy  was  almost  com- 
pletely concealed  by  the  thick,  dark  woods  bordering  the  stream 
behind  which  their  forces  were  posted  ;  moreover,  their  artillery 
was  favorably  manned  on  an  eminence  that  commanded  the  Fed- 
eral approach,  Logan's  troops  were  obliged  to  cross  an  open  field 
exposed  to  a  terrific  fire.  After  three  hours  hard  fighting,  the  ene- 
my withdrew  suddenly  in  two  columns  the  principal  one  pursuing 
the  road  to  Jackson. 

The  same  night  Grant  made  his  headquarters  at  Raymond,  while 
General  Sherman  was  but  six  miles  distant,  on  the  road  to  Jackson. 

During  the  afternoon  General  McPherson  had  pushed  north- 
ward to  Clinton,  a  station  on  the  Vicksburg  and  Jackson  railroad, 
and  cut  the  artery  which  had  all  along  ^animated  the  American 
Gibraltar.  Its  reduction  kwas  now  only  a  question  of  time.  Its 
eventual  surrender  was  to  all  a  matter  of  absolute  certainty. 

General  Grant  had  learned  from  intercepted  dispatches  that  Gen- 
eral Pemberton  had  instructed  his  forces  to  fall  back  on  Vicks- 
burg whenever  hard  pressed,  and  the  rebels  had  resolved  to  exert 
all  their  final  ability  to  hold  the  place. 

With  the  railroad  in  his  possession  to  the  eastward,  the  river 
patrolled  by  the  gunboats  above  and  below,  and  cavalry  dashing 
southward  from  Memphis,  the  fate  of  the  doomed  and  ill-starred 
city  of  Vicksburg  seemed  irrevocably  sealed;  while  the  escape  of 
the  forces  garrisoning  it,  appeared  utterly  impossible. 

On  the  fourteenth  of  May  the  Federals  defeated  General  John- 
ston's army  and  captured  Jackson ;  on  the  sixteenth  was  fought 
the  bloody  battle  of  Champion  Hill,  in  which  the  rebels  lost  Gen- 


82  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

eral  Tillingham  ;  on  the  seventeenth  the  advancing  host  again  de- 
feated Peinberton's  army  at  Black  River  bridge,  and  on  the  nine- 
teenth Grant's  forces  completely  invested  Yicksburg  on  the  north, 
east  and  south.  Porter  with  his  invincible  fleet  held  the  river  on 
the  west  and  the  great  siege,  one  of  the  most  famous  in  history, 
began. 

It  was  just  twenty  days  since  Grant's  army  crossed  from  the 
west  side  of  the  river,  and  entered  upon  that  grand  and  memorable 
campaign.  In  that  brief  time  he  had  marched  more  than  two 
hundred  miles,  beatiug  two  well  organized  Confederate  armies  in 
five  battles,  captured  nearly  one  hundred  cannon,  killed  or  made 
prisoners  of  upwards  of  twelve  thousand  of  Johnston's  and  Pem- 
berton's troops. 

Two  heroic  assaults  were  made  upon  the  rebel  stronghold  by  his 
enthusiastic  troops,  but  they  were  both  unsuccessful  and  attended 
by  a  severe  loss  in  killed  and  wouncted. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  OCTOROONS. 

While  the  lines  of  McClernand  environed  Vicksburg  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Yazoo  river,  Colonel  Faulkner  was  detailed  with  his 
cavalry,  to  push  out  into  the  country  on  the  line  of  the  Memphis 
and  Jacksonville  railroad  in  the  vicinity  of  Mouticello,  and  there 
intercept  supplies  consigned  to  Pembertou  at  Vicksburg. 

As  it  was  now  about  the  middle  of  May,  the  atmosphere  in  this 
Southern  latitude  was  absolutely  stifling.  A  metallic  sheen  shim- 
mered in  the  air  which  was  pungent  with  the  smell  of  burning 
wood  and  debris,  where  the  rebels  were  forced  to  abandon  stores 
and  cabins,  burning  them  in  preference  to  having  them  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  hated  Yankees. 

These  fires  flared  continually,  filling  the  sky  with  heavy,  gray 
clouds  of  smoke. 

It  was  a  daring  mission  which  our  hero  had  undertaken,  and 
more  than  once  he  reflected  that  in  all  probability  he  and  his  gal- 
lant command  would  be  overpowered  by  the  rebels  and  hurried  to 
Libby  or  some  similar  Southern  prison,  to  languish  out  a  miserable 
existence. 

"Death  before  that,"  he  murmured,  spurring  his  noble  black 
horse— the  one  which  he  had  so  mysteriously  become  possessed  of, 
as  related  in  a  previous  chapter. 

His  jolly  friend,  Percy  Powers,  having  been  wounded  in  the 
affair  at  Big  Black  river,  he  felt  rather  blue  at  thus  being  deprived 
of  so  genial  a  comrade. 

Nothing  of  moment  occurred  until  the  evening  of  the  second 
day,  when  the  cavalry  drew  rein  and  paused  before  a  low,  rum- 
bling, old-fashioned   mansion,  with  a  veranda  running  its  entire 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  00 

length,  with  an  extensive  cotton  plantation  in  a  devastated  condi- 
tion attached. 

Dismounting,  Faulkner  threw  his  rein  to  an  orderly,  and  mount- 
ing the  wide  steps,  knocked  heavily  upon  the  door  with  the  hilt 
of  his  elegant  sword. 

"  Who's  thar  ?"  came  a  gruff  query,  in  an  unmistakable  Southern 
tone  of  voice. 

"  A  party  of  troopers  in  quest  of  refreshment,"  responded 
Frank,  quietly. 

"  Wall,  what  air  ye?"  growled  the  man  Avho  had  spoken ;  "  Fed 
or  Confed?" 

"  We  came  here  to  be  Fed!"  replied  Frank,  turning  the  joke 
upon  the  Southerner. 

The  man  opened  the  door  cautiously,  and  then  with  an  af- 
frighted look  depicted  upon  his  bronzed  visage,  ejaculated  : 

"  Yankees !  by  the  great  horn  spoons !  A  hull  Yank  army  I'll  be 
bound." 

"  Well,"  smiled  Frank,  "  what  of  it  ?  All  you  have  to  do  is  treat 
us  civilly  and  answer  our  questions^respectf  ully,  and  I  pledge  you 
my  word  of  honor  you  will  not  be  molested." 

His  fears  thus  calmed,  the  man  ceased  his  quaking  and  quietly 
invited  Frank  to  enter  his  domicile  and  be  seated. 

Our  hero  turning  to  his  subaltern — our  old  friend,  Captain  Fred 
Merrigold — bade  him  lead  the  squadron  round  to  the  rear  of  the 
house  and  see  if  the  barn  would  afford  refreshment  in  any  shape 
for  their  wearied  horses. 

The  moment  Frank  entered  the  door  he  was  struck  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  inmates  of  the  mansion. 

Seated  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  table  was  a  pleasant,  motherly 
looking  woman  of  forty,  while  in  another  part  of  the  room  sat 
two  remarkably  handsome  young  girl,  both  brunettes  of  a  very 
dark  type,  with  snapping,  black  eyes. 

These  apperaed  to  be  daughters  of  the  Mississippian. 

One  whom  they  called  Bertha  appeared  to  be  about  two  and 
twenty,  and  was  evidently  the  elder,  as  the  other  could  not  possi- 
ble have  been  but  eighteen. 

"Tt  seems  to  be  my  fate  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  two  be- 
witching Southern  beauties  wherever  I  go  ;  I  wonder  what  the  re- 
sult here  will  be  ?"  mused  Faulkner,  as  the  two  young  ladies  eyed 
him  coyly.  "My  name  is  Frank  Faulkner,"  he  observed,  intro- 
ducing himself  to  the  lady  of  the  house,  whose  kindly  beneficient 
smile  reminded  him  so  much  of  that  dear  mother  whom  he  had 
left  at  home  in  Ohio,  "  and  I  have  the  honor  to  command  this 
squadron  of  Uncle  Sam's  cavalry  which  has  just  intruded  upon 
your  grounds." 

"  Mr.  Faulkner,  you  are  exceedingly  welcome  to  partake  of 
whatever  frugal  hospitalities  we  can  afford  you,"  she  returned, 
Warmly. 

J 


84  ttNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

Frank  thought  she  would  then  proceed  to  introduce  him  to  the 
charming  daughters,  hut  she  evidently  had  no  intention  of  so  do- 
ing, for  she  utterly  ignored  their  presence. 

"Anita,"  she  observed,  addressing  the  younger,  "take  this  of- 
ficer's sword,  pistols  and  cap,  and  you,  Bertha,  be  smart  and  get 
some  dishes  on  the  table  to  serve  up  such  food  as  our  humble  cir- 
cumstances will  permit." 

The  girl  hastened  to  obey  her,  and  went  about  the  duties  thus 
assigned  them  with  the  greatest  alacrity: 

"  Mr.  Faulkner " 

"  Colonel,  if  you  please,  madam,"  interrupted  Captain  Merrigold, 
who  at  this  junction  unceremoniously  entered  the  room. 

"Well, Colonel  Faulkner,  you  will  be  surprised  to  learn  that  lam 
a  Northern  woman,  and  in  full  sympathy  with  the  cause  of  the 
Union." 

"  I  am  pleased  to  hear  such  an  unexpected  declaration  from 
your  lips;  indeed  it  is  so  rare  to  find  one  of  your  sentiments  in 
this  intensely  Southern  section,  that  I  would  scarcely  have  be- 
lieved it  possible  to  come  across  even  a  single  instance  of  loyalty. 
Does  your  husband  entertain  the  same  principles?" 

"No;  he's  an  out  an'  out  secesh ;  but,  however,  that  don't 
amount  to  anything;  1  am  ruler  here  and  I  don't  allow  him  to 
say  anything  against  the  glorious  old  stars  and  stripes." 

"How  about  your  daughters?  are  they,  too,  of  the  same  noble 
sentiments  as  yourself?"  queried  Frank,  casting  admiring  glances 
at  the  two  brunettes. 

"  Daughters!"  echoed  the  woman,  with  a  tinge  of  indignation 
in  her  tone;  "they  are  no  daughters  of  mine ;  they  are  my  serv- 
ants." 

"Servants!"  gasped  the  two  young  officers  nearly  leaping  from 
their  chairs  in  surprise;  "ah,  surely  there  is  some  mistake!" 

"No,  there  is  no  mistake  whatever ;  they  are  actually  my  slaves." 

"Slaves!"  repeated  both  in  surprise;  "impossible!" 

Two  such  divine  creatures,  slaves?  the  idea  is  preposterous  ! 

"  Perhaps  she  takes  us  for  country  gawks  easily  deceived,"  said 
Mererigold,  addressing  Colonel  Faulkner. 

"  I  have  heard  of  poor  whites,  but  uever  knew  any  of  them  were 
held  in  bondage  the  same  as  our  long-suffering  colored  brethren," 
observed  Frank. 

"  Whites !"  exclaimed  the  lady,  whose  name  was  Mrs.  Lovell; 
"  them  girls  ain't  white." 

"Then  what  under  the  heavens  are  the ?"  asked  Frank,  curi- 
ously. 

"  Octoroons,"  returned  the  woman,  triumphantly;  adding:  "I 
told  you  they  weren't  my  daughters,  but " 

She  paused  and  looked  askance  at  Mr.  Lovell.  * 

"Well,  proceed,"  urged  Frank,  impatiently. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  65 

''They  are  ray  husband's  daughters  and  were  born  before  I  met 
and  married  him." 

Here  was  a  picture  of  the  slavery  question  which  had  never 
been  so  graphically  presented  to  our  hero  as  on  the  present  oc- 
occasion. 

"What  a  shame,"  he  exclaimed,'  indignantly;  "a  man's  own 
daughters  slaves  to  his  wife— their  step-mother.  It's  an  atrocious 
outrage." 

Captain  Merrigold  joined  with  him  in  his  denunciation  of  the 
burning  disgrace. 

This  outspoken  language  as  may  readily  be  conjectured  was 
not  conducive  to  make  their  visit  at  the  mansion  a  welcome  and 
hospitable  one;  and  when  they  left  it  was  with  the  avowed  inten- 
tion of  returning  as  soon  as  circumstances  would  permit  and  ef- 
fecting the  rescue  of  the  two  octoroons. 

The  next  day  the  troopers  reached  the  vicinity  of  the  Confeder- 
ate quarters  at  Monticello. 

After  sharp  skirmishing  they  drove  the  rebels  and  guerrillas 
from  the  town  which,  up  to  this  period,  they  had  infested  and  took 
possession  of  the  same. 

Among  the  many  useful  articles  of  warfare  which  fell  into  their 
hands  were  a  balloon  and  an  iron-clad  locomotive,  the  latter  fully 
armed  with  heavy  rifled  guns. 
These  were  to  Frank  a  happy  acquisition. 

"  I  have  a  notion  to  take  trip  in  this  balloon,"  he  observed,  ad- 
dressing Fred  Merrigold. 

Being  possessed  of  a  similar  venturesome  spirit,  Captain  Merri- 
gold encouraged  him  in  the  idea,  and  expressed  a  wish  to  accom- 
pany him. 

"  Very  well,  T  will  have  the  old  machine  inflated  at  once,  and  we 
will  take  a  sweep  across  the  country,  perchance  passing  over  the 
heads  of  the  enemy,  when  we  will  have  a  grand  chance  of  ascer- 
taining their  strength,  or,  perhaps,  taking  a  sail  directly  over 
Vicksburg  itself." 

"Hurrah!"  shout  Merrigold,  swinging  his  cap  in  the  air  like  a 
jubilant  schoolboy. 

Summoning  one  of  his  men,  Phil  Parker,  who  was  quite  a  genius, 
Frank  gave  the  necessary  orders  about  inflating  the  silken  struct- 
ure, and  then  went  and  viewed  the  ponderous  iron-clad  locomo- 
tive critically. 


CHAPTER  XXI, 

A  THRILLING  ADVENTURE  IN  MID-AIR. 

It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  before  the  balloon  was 
ready  for  service. 

The  aerial  ship  was  a  very  large  one,  and  painted  upon  its  silken 
side  was  the  name  "  Monarch  of  1  he  Air."    Colonel  Faulkner  and 


86  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

his  comrade  viewed  its  huge  proportions  as  it  surged  to  and  fro  in 
the  gentle  breeze  with  great  satisfaction. 

Armed  with  long  range  telescope  rifles,  and  provided  with  a  sup- 
ply of  fresh  water,  blankets  and  three  days'  rations,  they  stepped 
into  the  basket,  aud,  having  arranged  all  details  with  careful  ex- 
actness, at  length  gave  the  command: 

"Cast  off!" 

Instantly  the  ropes  were  loosened  and  the  mammouth  balloon 
shot  into  the  air  with  singular  velocity.  As  it  rose  above  the  trees 
three  thrilling  cheers  ascended  from  the  throats  of  the  Union 
troopers. 

Up!  up!  and  still  upward  >rent  the  balloon,  until  the  heads  of 
tho  occupants  of  the  car  grew  giddy  and  their  stomachs  faint. 

Below  them  the  theatre  of  war  was  spread  out  before  their  gaze 
like  a  vast  panorama. 

At  their  feet,  for  the  balloon  seemed  to  ascend  perfectly  straight, 
were  the  Federal  cavalry  and  the  snorting  iron-clad  "  Eclipse,"  to 
which  the  irrepressible  Yankee  genius,  Phil  Parker,  had  applied 
steam  in  order  to  be  ready  in  a  case  of  emergency. 

While  the  two  intrepid  adventurers  were  gazing  curiously  down 
upon  the  martial  scene  thus  unfolded  to  their  view,  they  were 
suddenly  aroused  from  their  reverie  by  an  alarming  movement  at 
the  opposite  side  of  the  car. 

Turning  to  ascertain  the  cause  thereof,  they  were  astounded  to 
observe  the  stalwart  figure  of  a  fierce-looking  man,  clad  in  a 
ragged  gray  uniform,  spring  nimbly  from  behind  a  roll  of  blankets, 
where  he  had  been  concealed,  and  confront  them .  with  a  savage 
leer  upc  n  his  cadaverous  visage. 

"Who  the  deuce  are  you?'  'ejaculated  Fred  Merrigold,  in  aston- 
ishment. 

"  Who'm  I?"  thundered  the  man,  his  eyes  blazing  wrathfully 
and  seeming  to  emit  lurid  sparks.  "I'm  Cal  Capwell,  the  reb 
scout,  and  brother  of  Clint  Capwell  whom  you  murdered;  and  I'm 
here,  by  Jupiter,  to  avenge  him!" 

As  he  spoke  the  man  launched  himself  with  the  quick,  fierce, 
cat-like  spring  of  a  tiger  upon  poor  Merrigold, 

There  was  a  flash  of  steel,  the  crash  of  a  blow,  and  before  Faulk- 
ner could  raise  a  hand  to  assist  his  friend,  he  was  horrified  to  see 
poor  Fred  reel  against  the  side  of  the  car,  lose  his  balance,  clutch 
desperately  at  the  network,  and  then  disappear  into  the  wide  abyss 
of  space,  uttering  a  wild  screech  of  mortal  agony,  which  rang  in 
his  ears  for  many  a  weary  day. 

There  was  no  time,  however,  for  him  to  contemplate  the  loss  of 
his  comrade  or  to  dwell  upon  the  horrible  fate  which  had  befallen 
him,  for  as  Merrigold  sank  into  the  oblivion  of  space,  the  rebel 
scout  instantly  turned  his  attention  upon  our  hero. 

Frank  saw  him  coming  with  uplifted  knife,  his  blood-shot  eyes 
blazing  forth  a  maniacaLiury  which  was  appalling.    Quickly  rak- 


UNDEK   THE   STARS   AM)  ISARS.  £7 

ing  his  revolver,  our  hero  fired,  but,  aa  he  pulled  the  trigger,  hi 3 
foot  slipped  and  he  rolled  over  in  the  bottom  of  the  car,  great 
beads  of  perspiration  starting  forth  from  his  brow  as  he  realized 
the  danger  of  h>s  situation. 

With  the  desperation  of  despair,  he  struggled  to  his  feet,  and 
sent  another  shot  at  the  furious  rebel. 

The  latter  dodged  aside,  and  grasping  the  network,  drew  him- 
self out  of  the  car,  and  began  ascending  the  outside  of  (he  balloon. 
Frank  dared  not  shoot  for  fear  of  perforating  the  balloou. 

With  a  fiendish  chuckle  the  rebel  paused  to  cut  the  cord  which 
connected  the  escape  valve  with  the  car,  and  then  continued 
climbing,  assuring  Frank  that  when  he  reached  the  top  he  would 
cut  away  the  network,  and  thus  precipitate  the  basket  to  the 
ground ! 

It  was  a  thrilling  situation  ;  the  most  desperate  by  far,  in  which 
our  hero  had  ever  been  placed.  Yet,  he  set  to  work  coolly  but  de- 
terminedly to  thwart  the  rebel's  fleudish  design. 

Laying  hold  of  the  network  at  the  opposite  side,  he  began  to  as- 
cend as  rapidly  as  possible. 
It  was  clearly  a  race  for  the  top  of  the  balloon. 
If  he  reached  it  first  all  would  be  well. 
If  on  the  contrary,  the  other  gained  it  ftrrt,  all  was  lost ! 
Both  reached  it  simultaneously! 

What  a  strange  place  for  a  combat!     The  frail  top  of  a  swaying 
balloon,  with  nothing  but  space  on  all  sides! 
The  knife  flashed ! 
The  revolver  cracked  ! 

A  cry  of  mortal  agony  echoed  on  the  cloudy  atmosphere,  and 
reeling  backward,  the  rebel  scout  grasped  at  the  network  for  sup- 
port, while  the  blood  gushes  from  a  ragged  wound  in  the  side  of 
his  head. 

"  Curse  you  !"  he  hissed,  slashing  about  him  with  the  knife,  in 
frenzied  desperation. 

"  Ten  to  one  he  will  cut  the  balloou  aud  hurl  us  both  into  eter- 
nity," groaned  Frank,  as  he  aimed  carefully  at  the  man's  swiftly 
moving  hand. 
Crack ! 

The  leaden    pellet  struck   the   blade  of   the  knife  and  turned  it 
aside — at    the   same   moment   another  bullet— Frank's  last   shot 
struck  the  knuckles  of  the  hand  by  which  the  rebel  scout  main- 
tained his  hold,  and  with  a  fierce  howl  of  rage  and  pain,  he  slip- 
ped from  the  position  and  slid   through  the  vault    of  air  to  be 
dashed  to  pieces  on  the  earth  below. 
"Thank  Heaven!"  exclaimed  Frank,  impressively. 
Then,  turning,  he  began  the  perilous  descent,  which  to  one  in 
the  unnerved  condition  in  which  he  found  himself  after  this  des- 
perate encounter,  was  a  dangerous  undertaking. 
However,  b\^  careful  management  he  succeeded  in  reaching  the 


88  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BAES. 

car  safely,  and  having  climbed  within,  sank  down  upon  the  blank- 
ets, quite  overcome  by  the  late  exertion  and  the  reaction  conse- 
quent upon  his  thrilling  experience. 

How  long  he  remained  in  a  state  of  semi-consciousness  he  was 
never  able  to  clearly  determine ;  certain  it  is,  however,  that  he  was 
not  long  in  that  condition  ere  he  was  brought  to  a  full  realization 
of  his  position,  by  hearing  the  deafening  detonation  of  a  heavy 
shell  which  exploded  in  his  near  vicinity. 

Looking  down  over  the  side  of  the  car,  he  noticed  that  the  bal- 
loon was  slowly  sinking,  and  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  in  a 
brief  space  it  had  dropped  from  its  elevated  altitude,  fully  three 
hundred  yards. 

His  quick  eye  swept  the  surroundings  beneath  him,  taking  in 
with  eager  interest  the  entire  landscape. 

Instantly  he  was  enabled  to  locate  the  spot  from  whence  the 
shell  came. 

Then  it  was  with  a  thrill  that  he  recognized  from  frequent  de- 
scriptions, the  outer  works  of  Vicksburg. 

He  had  a  field-glass  at  his  side,  in  the  position  usually  occupied 
by  his  sword,  which  he  had  left  at  Monticello  ;  producing  this,  he 
leveled  it  at  a  large  group  of  men  who  were  standing  about  a  huge 
mortar,  and  scanned  its  motly  troop  intently. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  trepidation  that  he  realized  the  fact  that 
the  rebel  gunners  were  evidently  exerting  their  utmost  skill  in  an 
endeavor  to  hit  the  balloon. 

A  cold  chill  enveloped  our  hero's  frame,  brave  as  he  was,  when 
he  again  assured  himself  of  the  fact  that  the  atrial  ship  was  slowly 
but  surely  sinking. 

Crash ! 

A  second  shell  described  a  fiery  circle  in  the  air,  and  tumbled 
earthwards,  sliding  directly  over  the  frail  balloon,  and  bursting 
with  a  tremendous  noise  not  twenty  feet  beyond  the  silken  struct- 
ure. 

"My  soul!  am  I  destined  to  be  killed,  after  having  escaped  death 
in  various  forms  so  frequently  already  on  the  field  of  battle  and 
elsewhere?"  murmured  Frank. 

Zip— zip— zip ! 

44  Ah  !  the  sharpshooters  are  beginning  to  get  their  work  in,  the 
balloon  has  fallen  within  easy  range,  and  I  must  make  an  effort  to 
rise." 

As  he  spoke,  Frank  began  throwing  everything  out  of  the  car,  in 
order  to  lighten  the  craft  as  much  as  possible,  not  even  sparing  the 
telescopic  rifles,  and  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  it  rise  with 
a  perceptible  bound  toward  the  blue  vault  of  the  heavens. 

One  or  two  shells  fired  by  the  outwitted  rebels,  whose  shouts  and 
cries  of  disappointment  and  rage  were  borne  faintly  to  his  ear, 
skipped  pretty  close,  but  fortunately  failed  to  disable  his  frail  air- 
ship. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  85) 

It  was  now  quite  dark  ;  heavy,  murky  clouds  obscured  the  firma- 
ment, through  which  a  few  stars  struggled  here  and  there,  twink- 
ling brightly  as  if  in  encouragement  to  the  bold  adventurer  who 
dared  to  approach  so  near  their  sacred  domain. 

But  Frank's  attention  was  otherwise  engaged  than  star  gazing. 

He  was  looking  down  at  the  magnificent  spectacle  afforded  his 
view  by  the  fiery  flight  of  exploding  shells  which  were  still  sweep- 
ing through  the  air,  not  one  hundred  yards  below  him.  Although 
the  gunners  could  not  see  the  balloon,  the  orders  were  to  continue 
firing  until  commanded  to  cease,  and  those  grim  warriors  would 
continue  to  fire  into  space  until  dooms-day,  unless  their  orders 
were  revoked,  or  their  ammunition  gave  out. 

Suddenly,  as  he  sat  in  rapt  admiration  of  the  thrilling  spectacle; 
the  balloon  gave  a  tremendous  lurch  to  one  side,  and  then  instantly 
began  to  sink  with  the  velocity  of  a  meteor,  while  the  unmistak- 
able ripping  sound  of  tearing  silk  was  borne  to  the  ears  of  the  oc- 
cupant of  the  car. 

A  thrill  of  horror  enveloped  his  unnerved  frame  as  he  grasped 
the  side  of  the  car  for  support,  which  it  could  not  give. 

What  a  fearful  sensation ! 

Tumbling  through  space— down— down— down !  and  yet  no  end 
to  the  terrible  fall. 

What  an  awful  suspense ! 

To  meet  the  earth  meant  to  be  mashed  to  a  pulp  ! 

Slowly,  and  with  indescribable  mental  torture  Frank  murmured 
the  few  prayers  to  Heaven  with  which  he  was  familiar,  gasping 
them  with  difficulty. 

Then  came  a  tremendous  shock. 

He  seemed  to  sink  through  the  crust  of  the  earth  from  the  vio- 
lence and  force  with  which  he  had  been  projected,  like  a  bullet 
from  a  gun,  penetrating  huge  obstacles. 

Then  came  a  reaction,  and  he  realized  that  he  was  in  reality  un- 
injured, though  nearly  suffocated— with  what? 

With  water. 

Yes ;  by  a  strange  freak  of  remarkably  good  luck  the  balloon 
had  fallen  from  directly  over  the  Mississippi,  and  had  capsized  our 
hero  into  the  bosom  of  the  Father  of  Waters. 

Murmuring  a  thanksgiving  for  his  wonderful  deliverance,  Frank 
struck  out  and  swam  for  a  dark  object  in  front  of  him,  which 
proved  to  be  a  neck  of  land  projecting  from  the  Mississippi  shore, 
at  a  point,  which  he  afterwards  learned,  was  about  three  miles 
south  of  Vicksburg. 

He  had  scarcely  set  foot  on  the  welcome  shore  after  his  exhaust- 
ing swim,  however,  ere  a  gruff  voice  exclaimed  : 

"Surrender,  Yank,  or  off  goes  your  head!"  and  the  cold  barrel 
of  a  musket  was  pressed  against  his  forehead. 

Of  course,  he  [acquiesced  as  gracefully  as  circumstances  would 
permit  to  the  demand  of  the  Confederate  sentry,  and  was  borne  in 


DO  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS, 

triumph  to  camp,  once  more  a  prisoner  of  war.  Altogether  quite 
humiliating  was  this  treatment  after  the  series  of  startling  perils 
through  which  he  had  just  passed. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

SENTENCED  TO   BE  SHOT. 

When  Fred  Merrigold  was  so  unceremoniously  ejected  from  the 
car  attached  to  the  balloon  by  the  rebel  scout,  he  felt  a  similar  sen- 
sation to  that  experienced  by  our  hero,  as  he  dashed  through  the 
air  cleaving  space  with  the  velocity  of  a  cannon-ball. 

That  he  would  be  killed  he  felt  certain,  but  by  some  strange  dis- 
pensation of  Providence  as  he  neared  the  earth  he  realized  that  he 
was  falling  directly  into  the  spreading  branches  of  a  large  tree. 

At  the  time  he  was  thrown  from  the  car  the  balloon  had  prob- 
ably not  reached  an  altitude  of  over  two  hundred  yards ;  so  that 
when  he  struck  the  tree,  although  much  bruised  and  greatly  shak- 
en up,  he  was  surprised  to  find  that  he  had  really  sustained  no 
more  serious  injuries. 

While  whirling  through  space  he  had  expected  to  be  killed,  and 
was  overjoyed  at  his  fortunate  escape  from  death. 

The  troops  at  Mouticello,  who  had  witnessed  his  rapid  descent, 
hastened  in  the  direction  of  the  tree,  where  they  expected  to  find 
his  mutilated  remains. 

Instead,  they  found  him  lodged  among  the  gently  yielding 
branches  of  the  large  sycamore,  congratulating  himself  upon  his 
wonderful  escape. 

In  a  few  moments  they  took  him  down  from  his  lofty  perch  and 
bore  him  tenderly  to  their  camp,  near  Monticello. 

Dr.  Clancy  attended  to  his  contusions  and  promised  to  restore  him 
to  his  usual  good  physical  condition  in  a  very  few  days. 

In  the  meantime,  Frank  after  his  great  plunge  into  the  Missis- 
sippi, was  conducted  in  a  thoroughly  drenched  condition  before 
the  commander  of  the  rebel  forces. 

"  What  have  you  here,  my  man  ?"  queried  that  dignitary. 

"A  Yankee  spy,  sir." 

"Spy?"  echoed  Frank,  involuntarily  recoiling,  "you  make  a 
mistake,  sir ;  I  am  no  spy." 

"  Caught  him  prowling  about  the  river  bank,  colonel,"  reiterated 
the  Confederate. 

"  Well,  place  him  in  the  guard-house;  his  case  shall  be  attended 
to  in  the  morning." 

With  a  sigh  of  relief,  our  hero  was  conducted  to  a  rough  log 
shanty  dignified  with  the  name  of  guard-house,  and  there  left  to 
his  own  reflections,  and  soon  overcome  by  fatigue  befell  asleep. 

In  the  morning  he  was  awakened  by  the  rattle  of  drums,  and 
was  soon  marched  forth  from  his  temporary  prison  and  conducted 
back  into  the  interior  of  the  country  toward  the  railroad. 


UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS.  91 

A  horrible  suspicion  flashed  across  his  mind. 

The  rebels  meant  to  execute  him  there,  or  else  intended  forward- 
ing him  to  Richmond. 

Either  alternative  was  an  awful  one,  and  had  he  been  allowed 
liiH  preference,  he  would  have  doubtless  decided  in  favor  of  the 
former  mode  of  disposing  of  him,  as,  in  any  event,  it  would  be  the 
much  more  humane. 

The  march  to  the  railroad,  some  sixteen  miles  across  the  country, 
was  not  accomplished  until  high  noon.  The  troops,  fatigued  with 
their  exertion,  then  lay  down  under  the  shade  of  a  grove  of  pines 
to  rest  and  regale  themselves  with  a  frugal  dinner — a  repast  of 
which  they  were  in  much  need,  judging  from  their  spent  appear- 
ance. 

Having  discussed  their  noonday  meal,  they  brought  the  prisouer 
up  before  a  jury  composed  of  twelve  picked  men,  and  with  their 
colonel  as  judge,  proceeded  to  investigate  his  case. 

Having  searched  his  pockets,  they  found  evidence  enough,  in 
the  shape  of  notes  and  official  reports  to  convict  him  of  the  charge 
of  being  a  spy,  and  this  impression  once  established  on  their  con- 
viction, it  was  impossible  to  swerve  them  from  their  decision. 

The  result  was : 

"Sentenced  to  be  shot!" 

When  this  dread  announcement  was  made  there  was  a  howl  of 
approval,  and  preparations  were  at  once  made  for  the  execution 
which  it  was  understood  would  take  place  at  sundown. 

Poor  Frank! 

The  sentence  rang  in  his  ears  like  the  knell  of  doom. 

In  an  instant  all  his  past  life  came  vividljT  before  his  mind,  and  he 
sighed  as  he  thought  of  his  mother  at  home  in  Norwood,  and  of 
the  fair  girl  whose  inconstancy  had  driven  him  from  his  friends  to 
meet  his  doom  in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country. 

However,  there  was  no  help  for  it;  stern  fate  decreed  that  he 
must  succumb  to  the  inevitable. 

"  Attention,  squad  ;  carry — arms!  forward — march!" 

It  was  the  firing  party  taking  position  ! 

Frank  was  taken  in  custody  by  two  rough  Alabamians,  and 
marched  to  the  place  selected  for  his  execution. 

His  face  was  pale,  and  his  teeth  firmly  set,  but  in  no  other  way 
did  he  betray  his  emotions. 

As  he  approached  the  fatal  spot,  he  saw  that  the  rebels  had  dug 
a  shallow  grave  aud  had  placed  a  long  rough  musket  box  beside  it 
to  serve  as  a  coffin. 

Frank  was  blindfolded,  and  ordered  to  kneel  upon  the  box,  after 
which  his  hands  were  securely  pinioned  behind  him. 

A  moment  of  terrible  suspense  ensued. 

"  Then  he  heard  the  command  : 

"  Ready— present " 

But  hark  !  what  was  that? 

The  unmistakable  screech  of  a  locomotive  whistle  was  borne  to 
their  ears. 

The  rebels,  alarmed  at  this  unexpected  interruption,  wheeled 
about  aud  hurried  toward  the  railroad. 

As  they  did  so,  the  engine  thundered  up  to  their  positiou,  and 
then  stopped  abruptly. 

"  Give  it  to  the  Johnny  Reb's !"  exclaimed  a  voice,  excitedly. 

A  thrill  of  joy  quivered  through  Frank's  frame  as  he  recognized 
the  voice  of  Phil  Parker,  whom  he  had  accorded  commaud  of  the 
Eclipse,  and  who  had,  by  order  of  his  superior,  organized  this  raid 
against  the  rebels,  having  been  informed  by  a  scout  of  his  colo- 
nel's peril. 

Almost  before  the  Confederates  had  time  to  think,  there  was  a 
blinding  flash,  followed  by  the  crash  of  a  broadside  from  the  iron- 


92  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

clad  locomotive,  and  shell,  grape  and  canister  wrought  wild  havoc 
in  their  lines. 

With  a  cry  of  dismay,  they  broke  and  ran,  scattering  to  cover, 
followed  by  another  broadside. 

Our  hero  was  soon  released  by  Fred  Merrigold,  who  was  able  to 
accompany  Parker,  and  the  meeting  between  the  two,  after  the 
thrilling  adventures  through  which  both  had  passed,  can  better 
be  imagined  than  described. 

Reversing  the  engine,  the  Federals  reached  Monticello  shortly 
after  dark. 

The  next  day  Frank  returned  with  his  command  to  General 
McClernand's  position,  and  he  and  his  friends  had  the  honor  to 
participate  in  the  final  operations  against  Vicksburg,  as  described 
in  the  ensuing  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  FALL  OF  VICKSBURG. 

"  While  Sherman  stood  beneath  the  hottest  fire, 
That  from  the  lines  of  Vicksburg  gleamed, 
And  bombshells  tumbled  in  their  smoky  gyie, 
And  grape-shot  hissed  and  case-shot  screamed.'" 

.Then  Pemberton  was  driven  within  the  strong  fortifications, 
the  situation  at  Vicksburg  was  such  that  he  who  struck  the  first 
blow  would  secure  great  advantage. 

After  his  series  of  defeats,  Johnston,  completely  demoralized, 
was  at  Canton  endeavoring  to  secure  reinforcements,  and  if  he 
could  get  a  respectable  army  together,  he  intended  to  attack 
Grant's  rear  while  Pemberton  engaged  him  in  fronl,  thus  putting 
the  exultant  Federals  in  a  critical  position. 

If  Grant  could  carry  Vicksburg  before  Johnston's  force  was 
ready,  then  he  could  quickly  turn  upon  and  crush  the  latter  out 
of  existence. 

It  was  a  situation  well  understood  by  both  contending  armies, 
but  Grant  proposed  to  strike  first,  and,  accordingly,  ordered  an 
assault  at  two  o'clock  on  the  nineteenth  of  May. 

Badeau  in  his  admirable  military  history  of  General  Grant, 
says : 

"The  assault  was,  in  some  respects,  unparalleled  in  the  the  wars 
of  modern  times.  No  attack  on  fortifications  of  such  a  strength 
had  ever  been  undertaken  by  great  European  captains,  unless  the 
assaulting  party  outnumbered  the  defenders  by  at  least  three  to 
one. 

"  In  the  great  sieges  of  the  Peninsular  War,  the  disproportion 
was  even  greater  still. 

"  At  Badajo's  Wellington  had  fifty  thousand  men,  eighteen 
thousand  of  whom  were  in  the  final  assault,  while  the  entire 
French  garrison  numbered  only  five  thousand. 

"The British  loss  in  this  assault  alone  was  thirty-five  hundred. 
At  Cindad  Rodrigo  Wellington  had  thirty-five  thousand  men,  and 
the  French  less  than  two  thousand,  not  seventeen  hundred  being 
able  to  bear  arms.  The  British  loss  was  twelve  hundred  and  nine- 
ty, seven  hundred  and  ten  of  these  fell  at  the  breaches,  while  only 
three  hundred  Frenchmen  were  killed.  But  Padejos  and  Rodrigo 
were  carried. 

"In  the  second  assault  on  Vicksburg  Grant  had  in  his  various  col- 
umns about  thirty  thousand  men  engaged,  of  these  he  lost  proba- 
bly three  thousand  in  killed  and  wounded.  He  was,  however,  met 
by  an  army  instead  of  a  garrison.  Pemberton,  according  to  his 
own  statement,  put  eighteen  thousand  five  hundred  men  in  the 
trenches.    It  was,  therefore,  no  reproach  to  the  gallantry  or  sol- 


UNDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS.  SM 

diery  qualities  of  the  army  of  the  Tennessee  that  it  was  uuable  to 
carry  works  of  the  strength  of  those  which  repelled  it,  manned  by 
troops  of  the  same  race  as  themselves,  and  in  numbers  so  nearly 
equal  to  their  own.  Neither  can  the  generalship  which  directed 
this  assault  be  fairly  censured. 

"The  only  possible  chance  of  breaking  through  such  defences  and 
defenders  was  in  massing  the  troops  so  the  weight  of  the  columns 
should  be  absolutely  irresistible.  But  the  broken,  tangled  ground, 
where  frequently  a  company  could  not  advance  by  flank,  made 
massing  impossible,  and  this  could  not  be  known  in  advance. 

"The  rebels,  too,|hadnotshowu  in  the  week  preceding  the  assault 
any  of  the  dogged  determination  which  they  displayed  behind  the 
earthen  walls  of  Vicksburg.  The  works  at  the  Big  Black  river 
were  also  impenetrable  if  they  had  been  well  defended,  and  Grant 
could  not  know  before  hand  that  Pemberton's  men  had  recovered 
their  former  mettle  any  more  than  he  could  ascertain  without 
trial  how  inaccessible  were  the  acclivities  and  how  prodigious 
were  the  difficulties  which  protected  these  reinvigorated  soldiers. 
But  Badajos  was  thrice  beseiged  and  often  assaulted  before  it  fell, 
and  the  st'  ries  of  Saguntum  and  Saragossa  prove  that  Vicksburg 
was  nov  tho  only  citadel  which  long  resisted  gallant  and  determin- 
ed armies. 

"On  the  highway  running  towards  Jackson  the  Confederates  had 
erected  two  earthworks,  Fort  Hill  and  Fort  Beauregard,  from  these 
works,  as  Grant's  columns  dashed  forward  to  the  assault,  the  Con- 
federates poured  a  terrible  enfilading  fire. 

"Slowly,  steadily,  but  with  invincible  courage,   the  Federal  col- 
umns pressed  onward,  their  faces  set  sternly  to  the  foe  and  every 
musket  blazing  forth  its  leaden  hail. 
"The  advance  finally  gained  the  ditch  in  front  of  Fort  Hill. 
"The  ditch  was  passed,  but  the  noble  troops  could  go  no  further. 
"The  slope  was  too  steep  to  be  surmounted,  and  to  hold  the  posi- 
tion was  madness,  for  they  would  simply  be  fired  down  upon  and 
exterminated,  while   they  themselves  were  unable  to  inflict  any 
comparative  injury  upon  the  enemy. 

"Lighted  shells  were  hurled  down  the  slope  to  play  terrible  havoc, 
and  the  Federal  flags  were  shot  to  ribbons  and  shreds  in  less  than 
tea  minutes." 

But  we  caunot  dwell  here  upon  these  terribly  graphic  scene  of 
bloodshed. 

Those  who  would  read  full  details  of  the  famous  seige  of  forty- 
six  days  we  would  refer  to  other  numbers  of  the  War  Libraby 
more  extensively  devoted  to  this  campaign,  as  we  cannot  here  fol- 
low the  slow  progress  of  the  seige,  but  must  confine  ourselves  to 
the  incidents  wherein  our  story  is  connected  with  this  great  event 
of  modern  times,  and  simply  state  that,  on  July  3d,  1863,  overtures 
were  made  for  a  surrender,  and  at  ten  o'clock  on  Saturday,  the 
Fourth  of  July,  the  garrison  of  Vicksburg  marched  out  of  the 
lines  it  had  so  long  and  gallantly  defended  and  stacked  arms  in 
front  of  the  conquerors  whose  triumph  swelled  into  a  grand 
anthem,  which  was  caught  up  and  echoed  by  thousands  of  the 
boys  in  blue: 

Victory  is  ours,  hurrah ! 

Treachery  cowers,  hurrah! 

Down  reels  the  rebel  rag, 

Up  shoots  the  starry  flag! 

Vicksburg  is  ours ! 

Vicksburg  is  ours,  hurrah ! 

Arch  the  green  banners  hurrah  ! 

Arch  o'er  the  hero  who 

Nearer  and  nearer  drew, 

Letting  wise  patience  sway, 


di  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND   BARS. 

Till  from  his  brave  delay, 

Swift  as  the  lightning's  ray, 

Bounded  he  to  the  fray, 

Full  on  his  fated  prey ; 

Thundering  upon  his  path, 

Swerving  not,  pausing  not, 

Darting  steel,  raining  shot ! 

In  his  fierce  onset  hot, 

With  his  red  battle  wrath ; 

Flashing  on,  thundering  on ; 

Pausing  then  once  again 

Curbing  with  mighty  rein, 

All  his  great  heart,  as  vain 

Writhed  the  fierce  foe,  the  chain 

Tighter  and  tighter  round 

Till  the  reward  was  found— 

Till  the  dread  work  was  done, 

Till  the  great  wreath  was  won. 

Triumph  is  ours,  hurrah  ! 
After  the  fall  of  Vieksburg,  Frank  received  permission  to  take  a 
squadron  of  cavalry  and  proceed  to  the  rescue  of  the  octoroons. 
When  he  reached  the  place  wh'^re  he  had  seen  them  it  was  with 
much  regret  he  found  that  the  people  had  left,  burning  the  house 
after  them,  doubtless  to  conceal  all  evidence  of  their  flight. 

Returning  to  headquarters  he  reported  to  McCleruand,  and  a 
week  later  having  a  great  desire  to  return  home,  he  and  Percy 
Powers  both  gained  their  furloughs,  which  were  granted  with 
regret. 

Possibly  in  a  future  romance  we  may  follow  their  adventures  in 
the  Chatauooga  campaign,  through  which  both  subsequently 
served  with  distinction. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

THE   TELEGRAM— CONCLUSION. 

About  a  year  had  elapsed  since  the  reported  death  of  Frank 
Faulkner,  ere  the  engagement  of  Mr.  Ren  Reinhart  and  Miss 
Edith  Elverton  was  announced. 

Edith,  although  repeatedly  urged,  would  not  name  the  day  for 
the  wedding. 

She  gave  as  an  excuse  that  there  was  no  hurry,  and  that  she- 
could  not  be  expected  to  forget  her  first  lover  for  whom  she  still 
mourned,  in  so  short  a  time  as  a  year. 

Indeed  it  was  not  until  May,  1863,  that  she  at  length  assented  to 
Reinhart's  importunities  and  much  to  his  satisfaction,  appointed 
the  day.    She  simply  said  : 

"  Mr.  Reinhart,'  I  will  marry  you  on  the  eighteenth  of  July,  in  the 
event  of  nothing  in  the  meantime  happening  to  prevent." 

Accordingly  Reinhart  went  away  well  pleased.  One  morning  in 
sultry  July,  Miss  Elverton  was  seated  in  her  boudoir  engaged  in 
making  preparations  for  her  wedding  which  was  to  be  solemnized 
in  three  days. 

Her  thoughts,  strange  to  say,  were  not  centered  upon  her  hus- 
band-elect but  upon  her  lost  lover ;  he  who  had  bravely  laid  down 
his  life  for  his  country. 

Was  ever  maiden  more  constant? 

Bitterly  she  regretted  the  absurd  conduct  on  her  part  which  had 
driven  him  from  her  in  sheer  desperation  and  caused  him  to  enlist. 

She  could  never  look  up  into  the  sad,  wan  face  of  his  mother 
without  the  thought: 

'Poor  woman.  I  have  deprived  her  of  her  son ;  for,  was  not  I 
the  cause  of  sending  him  into  the  army,  where  he  unfortunately 
lost  his  life  ?" 


INDER  THE  STABS  AND  BARS.  95 

If,  however,  she  allowed  her  mind  (o  dwell  on  these  and  kindred 
thoughts,  she  would  undoubtedly  have  become  insane;  so  she  was 
obliged  to  exert  her  utmost  endeavors  to  keep  her  thoughts  off  the 
subject. 

On  the  warm  summer  morning  in  question,  a  servant  knocked  at 
her  door  and  on  being  told  to  enter,  placed  in  her  hand  a  telegraph 
dispatch. 

She  tore  open  the  envelope  passively,  supposing  it  was  from 
Rein  hart,  who  had  gone  to  Chicago  on  business. 

The  servant  was  astonished  to  see  her  suddenly  grow  pale,  her 
lips  twitch  nervously,  the  telegram  fall  from  her  limp  grasp,  as 
with  a  shriek  she  threw  up  her  arms  and  reeled  backward. 

With  difficulty  the  maid  prevented  her  from  falling  upon  the 
floor,  and  then  rang  for  assistance. 

After  the  first  shock  was  over,  however,  Edith  rapidly  recovered 
her  composure,  and  then  folding  the  telegram  to  her  heart,  mur- 
mured : 

"I  knew  he  would  come;  I  knew  he  was  not  dead,  my  own  poor 
Frank." 

The  telegram  was  from  Colonel  Faulkner's  father,  who  having 
met  him  accidentally  at  a  hotel  at  Cincinnati  on  his  way  to  Nor- 
wood, quickly  sent  a  dispatch  announcing  his  safety  to  both  Mrs. 
Faulkner  and  Edith  Elverton,  of  whose  remarkable  constancy  he 
hastened  to  assure  Frank. 

Frank  wondered  why  his  later  letters  had  never  reached  home, 
as  he  had  written  several  long  ones  since  the  time  of  his  supposed 
death. 

Investigation  showed  how  fate  had  taken  a  hand  in  the  game. 
Two  letters  had  been  in  the  bag  captured  on  the  way  by  rebels  or 
guerrillas,  and  another  in  a  car  that  was  burned  between  Louis- 
ville and  Cincinnati,  while  the  fourth  and  last  reached  home  the 
day  after  his  arrival,  having  gone  astray;  a  not  very  unusual  thing 
for  letters  to  do  in  those  days  of  excitement,  when  the  post  facili- 
ties were  badly  mixed. 

The  day  of  our  hero's  return  to  his  native  town,  after  so  many 
perils  and  hardships  which  he  had  suffered  in  defense  of  the  na- 
tion, was  one  of  great  rejoicing,  and  long  to  be  remembered  in  that 
usually  quiet  community. 

Having  visited  his  overjoyed  mother,  who  regarded  him  as  back 
from  the  grave— for  she  had  worn  mourning  ever  since  the  an- 
nouncement of  his  death — our  hero  hurried  to  the  house  of  Edith 
Elverton,  where  the  reunited  lovers  were  soon  clasped  in  a  warm 
embrace. 

The  happiness  of  that  moment  more  than  repaid  our  heroine  for 
her  constancy. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  Frank's  numerous  friends  were  more 
than  delighted  to  see  him. 

Of  course  when  Ren  Reinhart  returned  from  Chicago  he  was  as- 
tonished at  the  lay  of  things. 

As  Arnold  was  still  away  in  the  rebel  ranks  and  had  not  com- 
municated with  him  for  some  time,  he  was  in  a  most  perplexing 
quandary. 

He  heard  the  story  of  Arnold's  villainy  from  the  victim  ©f  his 
numerous  dastardly  outrages  himself. 

Now  he  knew  that  as  soon  as  his  co-conspirator  returned  to 
Norwood  he  would  be  arrested  for  his  crimes.  He  also  felt  satis- 
fled  that  he — Arnold — would  hardly  hesitate  to  "sqreal"  on  him 
and  divulge  all  his  complicity  in  the  plot. 

His  rage  as  he  thus  reflected  was  such  that  he  could  have  killed 
Arnold  for  the  bungling  job. 

"Just  to  think,"  he  raved,  "  I  was  about  to  marry  the  girl,  when 
back  comes  my  rival  at  the  supreme    moment    and    completely 


96  UNDER  THE  STARS  AND  BARS. 

knocks  my  plans  to  the  deuce!"  A  gleam  of  savage  fury  leaped 
from  his  eyes  as  he  continued  :  "  Curse  Arnold,  the  lying  scoun- 
drel, he  wrote  me  an  apparently  authentic  account  of  the  fellow's 
death!" 

There  was  no  help  for  it  now  ;  the  girl  was  lost  to  him  forever 
and  it  only  remained  for  him  to  make  himself  scarce  about  the 
neighborhood  of  Norwood  ere  the  return  of  his  myrmidon.  So  it 
is  not  strange  that  he  disappeared,  went  to  his  father's  house  at 
Louisville,  where  he  eventually  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  serv- 
ice, and  was  killed  at  Chiekamauga. 

As  for  Arnold,  as  soon  as  he  recovered  from  the  serious  wounds 
sustained  in  battle,  he  esaped  from  the  guerrillas  and  returned  to 
Norwood,  little  dreaming  that  his  villainy  had  been  so  freely  ven- 
tilated. 

He  had  not  been  long  in  town  before  he  was  seized  and  hurried 
to  jail,  notwithstanding  his  indignant  protestations. 

At  this  trial  he  made  certain  dark  things  pretty  clear  concern- 
ing the  doings  of  Reinhart  and  then  went  to  the  penitentiary  to 
spend  a  twelve  years'  term  for  the  interesting  part  which  he  had 
played  in  the  plot. 

Little  more  remains  to  be  told. 

In  due  time  Frank  wedded  the  girl  of  his  choice,  who,  by  her 
constancy,  had  fully  atoned  for  her  early  coquetry. 

Our  friend,  Major  Percy  Powers,  won  the  affections  and  eventu- 
ally the  hand  of  Leoline  Stanfleld,  her  affianced  husband,  Colonel 
Harold  Greyson,  of  the  Confederacy,  having  fallen  on  the  bloody 
field  of  Stone  River. 

Colonel  Faulkner  resumed  his  study  of  law,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar,  eminently  successful  in  his  profession,  and  is  now  judge  at 
Norwood,  Ohio. 

Not  a  happier  couple  exist  in  the  universe  to-day  than  that 
composed  of  Edith  Elverton  and  her  lost  lover. 

As  for  Fred  Merrlgold,  he  secured  the  start  of  Frank,  returned  to 
Kentucky  and  married  Nellie  Stanfleld  while  Faulkner  was  on  his 
way  to  Norwood. 

Our  hero  thought  greatly  provoked  at  the  time— that  was  be- 
fore he  dreamed  of  a  reconcilation  with  Edith — now  freely  for- 
gives him  and  considers  it  a  fortunate  misfortune. 

Occasionally  during  the  summer  months  the  Faulkner  family 
visits  Glenwood,  where  oft  in  the  stilly  evening,  while  seated  upon 
the  broad,  cool  veranda,  Fred  Merrigold  entertains  our  hero  with 
remeniscences  of  his  experience  while  serving  under  the  stars  and 
bars  in  the  rebel  ranks. 

[THE  END.] 


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